The Legend of Zelda: Shards of the Rose
by Zelzainia and Lina
Summary: Four years after the Twilight Invasion changed Hyrule - whether for better or for worse depends on who's looking. The lamented Goddesses no longer smile on its sacred land, the Hero is no where to be found, and Princess Zelda is haunted by the ghosts of her past. Darkness approaches, but will the princess be able to save an already crumbling nation? Zelink. Post-Twilight Princess
1. Prologue

_The blazing sun has begun to sink far below the horizon, the sand red like flames. The wind is timid and slowly blows onto the Grounds with such shyness that the heat has no mercy on those waiting within the coliseum. The two inhabitants cared less about the sultriness that plagued Arbiter's Ground or the menacing history that bled from its stone. They are too engrossed by the words spoken by a friend to feel the burning._

 _"Well…I guess this is farewell, huh?" She begins._

 _The physical agony, the open wounds of battle, the unavoidable humidity; nothing matters to them but the all too casual words that leave a trembling mouth._

 _"Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know. But…"_

 _Encouragement sows itself into the next few words, but her eyes tell them that she only speaks wishful thinking. Thoughts of unity, of bonds that cannot be seen but felt. One of the inhabitants, the rose of the land she tried to keep together, adds to the moral with, "Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin…One cannot exist without the other."_

 _The rose of the land continues her speech, thinking that if her mouth was busy enough, the tears would not rain down. She speaks of divine intervention, of fate, and spills out all hope she has left within her tired body._

 _The friend smiles at such kind and true words, she believes the rose can save her dwindling country, but still a frown adorns her beautiful features. They can no longer stall the inevitable. Without a falter the friend walks into the dim rays that pooled in from the setting sun, and the rose looks toward her with a set face. Conceal all emotion is the mantra drilled into her petals, but deep inside she fears she will cry._

 _Winds of change smooth over their perspiration and leave an odd feeling of serenity. The friend is not graced by it, but the rose is well aware that the past cry of her people is what raked through her hair. They know pain; they know how it will go away._

 _"Thank you…" The friend speaks again, looking back at the other inhabitant that chose not to speak. He was the sun, the beacon of light and hope these few months, and even with a knot in his chest he illuminated the room with a smile as the friend expressed the hope of meeting again._

 _A single tear falls from a perfectly formed eye, and like a small life it pulsed and moved to grace slender fingers white as snow._

 _"I…See you later…"_

 _The sun ponders on the words she would have spoken, a phrase unborn from dark lips that smiled ever so sadly. The sun and the rose were to ask her what she needed to say, but the small life born from her decision had begun to kill their only way to her. The audience of two gawk at the cracks and splinters that lace their only chance at reuniting, but the sun hears the friend scanter away, giving a final smile before bathed in hallowed light._

 _All felt so slow, the content restfulness that lightened her once dull eyes has made a grin tug at her features. So at peace the friend appeared, and like a phantom she has begun to disappear, until nothing's left but a blank stone and the irretrievable shards that promised to reunite them._

 _The sun and the rose are now completely alone, with only the numbness of the stone walls and the howls on the wind of those who have left this world to comfort them._

...

The castle halls were undoubtedly haunted, he was sure of it. When he still attended the academy in his adolescence he would listen with great interest to the stories the veterans told of seeing figures in the shadows or the laughter of children who did not appear. At the time he thought the stories were just used to keep the trainees away from the castle, but now he wasn't so sure.

Five years he spent in that academy, five years he spent telling himself such stories were ludicrous, yet as he marched through the empty halls while a storm raged outside he repeated the tales in his head one by one.

The eyes of the portraits of the Kings of the past followed his every step; he could feel their stares through his armor. No laughter yet, but the clanking of his steel sabatons made hearing difficult.

"This would be an easy job, they said," He whispered to himself, "It would be fun, they said."

He shivered in his chainmail, eyes shifting about nervously. The air was too still, too…lifeless. No one was venturing the halls at this time, just him and the stalking paintings. He looked down at the carpet, the deep blue shade of it. The many strong Queens of old walked along the same fabric as he did, and thinking of this gave him some pride.

That was until he recalled the death of the most recent Queen when he was just a child, too young to understand the great tragedy of this loss. Maybe her soul still walked along this same path.

He cringed at the thought and walked faster.

Upon reaching the westmost wing he began to mumble to himself. "Now, where did they say I needed to go?" He noticed a large door and wasted no time striding to it. "I still can't believe they gave me escort duty. A castle guard's work was supposed to be easy; I'm just supposed to walk around town with the men, not baby sit."

It was true that most men of his status did nothing more but stand around all day; a pass time they were more than content with in the old days. Things had changed drastically within the gates of the castle years ago- lots of things in his beloved Hyrule had changed.

The door was slightly ajar, and he couldn't help but peer through the crevice like a naughty child. This room was large, colossal even, with books and maps and parchment laid neatly on desks and shelves patiently awaiting use. Sconces lit up the dark room lightly along with a blazing fire in the fireplace that produced bright flames that whipped about feverously. This was the castle archive. Why would his charge be in the castle archive?

"And then what happened, tell us! Tell us!"

Children? There were children! They surrounded a lithe figure draped in black that sat beside the fire, dirty faces swelling in mystical wonder as they watched this enigmatic stranger. These children were the help, servant boys and girls that have left their posts. He grasped his spear tighter and his knees shook harder. _I'll watch and see what this intruder does first, then I'll strike_ , was what he told himself over and over until it sounded believable.

"Now now children, no need to grow impatient." A small, pruned old woman stood beside the sitting figure, hands behind her bowed back. What was her name? He remembered the captain speaking to a man from the bazaar who knew of this woman's past. The unneeded nursemaid forgotten by the royal family decades ago returned only in fear of the deceased Queen's curse. Impaz, her name was Impaz, member of the Sheik-Can tribe or something like that. The title was not familiar to most, but the veteran knights once spoke about guardians of the royal family that fell years ago. This Impaz was just a dying memory of the past.

The robed figure moved a bit, and the guard held his breath. It was about to speak "…After the Princess of Twilight went home, the Hero of Time returned to his, and the Princess began to rebuild her kingdom. The end." What a melodious sound left the slender figure in shadows! It was a woman, a young woman who spoke with such grace, the sound of fine silk being ripped.

The children's faces fell, and they leaned closer, the guard unknowingly mimicking their actions to better hear the voice of Hylia herself once more! "That's it," A small girl whined, "I liked the other legend better, the one with the instrument in it! The hero stayed with the princess in that one."

"Ew, no, this one's better, it had a wolf in it!" A freckled boy threw his arms up in the air dramatically.

The mystery woman spoke, "I believe it is time for you all to return home to your mothers, am I correct?" The guard leaned in as far as he could to drink in such a heavenly whisper.

Thunder boomed behind the nosy man, and in fear he leapt inside with a shout. The room grew deathly silent at his arrival, the children watching him breathlessly with eyes fearful at the sight of his sharp spear, and Impaz watched him with her ruby pools.

He straightened his back and cleared his throat. "I am here as an escort…" He tried to sound strong and menacing, but his statement came out meekly and easily trailed away.

"And who might you be escorting?" The older woman squinted, her wrinkles deepening to look like a cracked vase.

He thought for a moment but failed to produce a voice, placing his spear in his other hand, the children gasping. The woman clad in black rose from her seat and slowly turned to face him. He took a sharp intake of breath when he saw her face was hidden behind a shadowed hood, and mouth covered by a regal purple scarf.

Milky white skin the shade of cream was seen briefly, illuminated by the flames' kindling glow. "That would be me." The woman said, raising a gloved hand to her hood.

She was going to reveal herself to him! In a way he felt unworthy to see the owner of such a voice, but as she pulled down the cloth, he gasped in surprise. For years, the people of Hyrule had heard of this woman's beauty, and at that moment he knew such wives tales were lies. Her hair was not flowing like the water in Lake Hylia, but sleeker than the blades of grass in the fields, the shade of the rumored Deku trees' bark. Her lips were not red as blood but pale rose and held a natural shine to them. The crown and jewels that often adorned her were nowhere to be seen, but rightfully so, for he saw them as impurities on an already perfect piece of artwork.

One thing that haunted him though, were her eyes that watched him carefully. A blue deeper than the sea they were, glistening in the dim room with a shine only the goddesses could possess. So wise and truthful they seemed, like her stare alone could protect all, yet they felt so old and tired the way she looked at him. What had those youthful eyes seen to begin to glaze over so aged?

This was to be his charge, which he was to escort from now on. The rose of Hyrule; Princess Zelda.

It took him some time to realize that he had been staring for far too long, and blushing he looked away. "Pardon me, Your Highness, but the King would like for me to return you to your chambers for the evening."

She looked away. "I see…" He watched with great interest as she knelt down to look within the eyes of the children. "Like I had said before, it is time you all returned home with your parents. Until next time."

Impaz lightly tapped on his greaves to pull his attention away. She looked up at him with a smile. "You are new, aren't you?"

The guard swallowed nervously. "I used to patrol the city streets; this is my first duty within the castle."

"Then you haven't seen her?" Impaz raised her thin brows.

"The Princess? No, but I have heard—"

"No, not the Princess, I mean her. The Princess's Grandmother, the late Queen of Hyrule? She haunts these halls, you know, I often think she does it to check on her beloved granddaughter." This woman was senile, she knew not what she spoke of…right?

"Y-You're lying." He stuttered.

Impaz chuckled, "I wish I was. But no need to worry, the ghost of Queen Zelda XVII won't harm anyone as long as they keep their lustful eyes away from her dear little granddaughter. Do you understand where I am heading to? "

Her message hit him harder than a rock, and his face grew redder. He could hear the princess walking up behind him, and he quickly turned to stare at the door in front of him.

"Shall we, then?" Princess Zelda moved to his side. He could feel her soft stare, but he refused to meet such a sad gaze. That was what her eyes looked like, old on a new face.

He began to march forward into the hall, the princess and her small companion following behind like ducklings. Looking back, he saw the princess was staring out the window in some ghostly concentration, but the longer he looked, the louder the old woman's warning became in the back of his mind. Quickly, he turned to face the front, face hot in embarrassment.

They walked in heavy silence, interrupted only by the pats of rain on the large windows. Although fairly dark out, he was still able to see the princess's reflection; at one point, the white of nightgown peeked out from behind the black cloak, and in a few lucky instances he would catch sight of the pale smoothness of a leg.

"Look princess," the old woman sighed,"You were right, it's finally began to rain." She turned to stare at the storm, but the guard noted the emptiness in her eyes as if she wasn't really there.

Impaz continued, "The Gods surely smile upon you; never mind those false oracles and their ridiculous rituals! Your grandmother knew very well that music would please our beloved Nayru. I'm sure she is smiling down at you this. Very. Moment."

The guard paled at the thought, guiding his eyes away from olive flesh under white fabric.

The moment they reached her door she froze, and without a glance she thanked him and disappeared through the steel doors. He stood in a pregnant silence, slipping out of his stupor and organizing his hurricane of thoughts. She was so beautiful, yet frightening, and as the guard traveled down the spiral staircase he grew more and more sure with each step that their beloved princess Zelda was not a rose, but Hylia born from human flesh.

...

"They really seemed to enjoy tonight's bedtime story," Impaz kindled the fireplace, "Don't you agree your highness?" There was no response. "Princess -."

Turning around she saw the young woman standing silently before the tall window of the chamber, hand placed gently on the glass which fogged around the soft touch. Zelda stared out at the rain absently, black robe contrasting with the bright white of a now visible nightgown. Her expression was that of mild surprise, and Impaz sighed at the sight.

"Not another episode…" She whispered to herself.

"The rain...it is beautiful." The princess casually spoke.

Impaz smiled, "Yes it is, and we have you to thank for it, Milady. The Gods' smile down upon you, as expected."

The rain inevitably reminded her of a time so long ago, and she clenched her jaw at the thought of it.

"What are you thinking about your Highness?" Impaz pondered, grabbing her hand and guiding the girl to sit on the chair before the warm fire. She began to brush the girl's long, brown hair in slow rhythms, pausing to check the eyes no one knew to read.

"Nothing." Zelda closed her lids and raised her head to feel the warmth on her skin. _It was raining when it happened,_ she thought to herself indifferently; haunted by the ghosts of her past, her hands began to quiver as they replayed their scenes over and over again.

" _You think you can keep me in here, caged up like some animal?" The rose bared her thorns at the unwanted visitor._

 _But the serpent was cunning, and secretly terrified her very core as he laughed at her aggression. " I don't_ _ **think**_ _, I know. You have nowhere to go, your Highness. Your kingdom, the land blessed by the Gods' light which has never lost a war, has fallen to a people of_ _darkness in a mere matter of minutes! You've lost."_

" _We Hylians are a people of perseverance, the light will prevail! These walls are merely stone - they cannot contain me!" She conjured deep within her heart to find the winds from Farore's breast she could ride to freedom. But the lack of concern in those glowing orange eyes and wicked smile on cut lips made her uneasy._

" _If you leave, your people die." The serpent smirked._

 _The rose quickly rooted herself back to the earth, and stared in fear. Her stomach dropped and blood froze in her veins, "...You are not capable of that..." She said timidly " This world of Twilight... it isn't their own, you could not possibly be able to -"_

 _In a snap a wisp of light was glowing between them, and with the flick of the serpent's wrist the rose saw the outline of small child no older than five, staring nervously around the room, transparent like a ghost._

" _Where am I? I want my mommy!" They cried, not seeing the battle of power occurring before them._

 _The serpent disappeared in thin air, only to appear behind the rose tightly, cold breath on her ear. Her eyes grew wide, face gone white with fear, and as he spoke her breathing grew labored. "Your kind think they're so...superior in this world when in fact, you're nothing but parasites who haven't woken from this dream that the Gods' care for your lives... The choice is yours princess: stay where your new king has placed you in this tower, or go out and pretend to be a hero. But if you do get brave and wish to violate my orders, just remember-" He snaked his hand within hers, and as she turned to strike him he raised both their arms, and the child outlined with light felt to the floor with a gurgling sound, grew still and the wisp finally died, " - Their blood is on your hands."_

"...What do you think, Princess Zelda?"

The ghost fled her mind and the daze was lifted from her. Her head snapped up, eyes opened, and lips parted to release a soft answer of, "I apologize."

Impaz stopped her strokes and sighed, walking slowly to face the princess. Her ruby eyes furrowed in a glassy sadness, her wrinkled hands encompassed the still shaking soft ones, and the small elder clicked her tongue. " It's about what happened four years ago...Isn't it?"

Zelda's heart lurched, but her expression stayed as stone. "No," she lied, " I was simply planning...what legend to tell the children next."

Impaz leered at her, " You're a terrible liar your Highness, just like your grandmother."

Zelda looked down in shame.

"What would the Hero think?"

Bright blue eyes, winning smile, the image of pure vitality and youthfulness crossed her mind, and her heart fluttered when his face appeared. How did he look now, four years later after she'd last seen his smile? Was he married; with children of his own sharing his light? A small part of her hoped not, and for reasons unknown she felt jaded by the thought. Link - the vessel of courage. Did he think of her?

There was a loud knocking on the door, and Zelda tightly wrapped her robe around her slender body as Impaz opened the door. "Who is it?" She asked, pushing back the long strands of hair that fell in front of her face.

"Pardon, your Highness," A messenger awkwardly stood at the foot of the spiral stairs," I come with a message from the King."

She strode over, heart and mind glowing in gladness but face still as potted water. " Please," she asked, standing in the doorway.

He cleared his throat, " In regards to your request of an audience with King Daphnes the Third, it is in his deepest apologies to decline this -"

"I see." Zelda interrupted.

The messenger bowed his head, " I'm sorry Princess Zelda, another decline."

She sighed, " No worries...Please, go home for the night and be with your family. My orders."

"Thank you your Highness, goodnight."

The distraught princess walked back into her chambers and stared. On the outside she was calm and collected, unmoving like a statue. On the inside; however, was a hurricane of emotion. She screamed in frustration in her head, blood on fire as a hard heart aggressively pumped her rage throughout her petite form. _Do not let them see you feel_ , she reminded herself as her fists clenched and relaxed as she bit back words unbecoming of a lady.

"Princess?"

"He can't even make time to see his own daughter...Would it be different if I were a son, carrying his name? Foolish man...blind to his own people's ills even when I try with all my might to help him see it!" She paused at the faint sound of instruments in the cold air. She tsked, " And he's holding a party…"

Impaz grew worried as Zelda walked to the door. " Your highness, what are you thinking to do? Need I remind you the King doesn't want you leaving this room after dark?"

The princess stopped with the door in her hands, and the edge of her mouth curled up into a tiny smile as she answered, " I'm thinking of what the Hero would do under these circumstances."

The castle was her home; its winding and connecting halls may have seemed like a maze of a place to others, but to her it was as familiar and easy to read as her own handwriting. It was so invigorating to break her King's wishes; a strange fervor was lit in her core brighter than it had ever been. The danger of it all was exciting, the impending doom if she was caught poured adrenaline within her like a drug. She bolted through the halls swiftly, taking the fastest route she knew to the ballroom, all the while staying unspotted by the patrolling guards. It wasn't hard, her footsteps weren't very heavy, and the working men were (as she sadly noted) very bad at their jobs.

The thought crossed her mind, as she pressed her body against the wall to evade a pair of guards passing perpendicular from her, that she might have been the only princess in Hyrulian history who would sneak through her own castle like some criminal. It was an exciting idea, one of the first she'd had in a long time. Too long was her every action choreographed by her father.

Rounding the corner she took a slower pace, a wave of anxiousness and fear gripped her heart. She grabbed the wall for support and breathed shallow breaths, hands trembling, ghosts flashing against her eyes.

 _A sea of flames filled the halls, flags were burned, statues destroyed, paintings ripped from their frames. The serpent wanted destruction of it all, and the black smoke soon became the shadow of a new world._

 _The rose fought to save as much as she could from this holocaust, hiding all that her power allowed. Only when these beasts of darkness began to terrorize the wisps of light of her people did the rose forget the burning banners and drew a long sword._

 _She ran to the monster and fletched_ _, a bright light appearing on her hand in a protective glow. The beast was moved a bit but not mortally wounded, and releasing a blood curdling cry it looked to her with its stone face and wiping tendrils. It was terrifying, and before she could attack it again the serpent had disappeared, and she stood in the confines of her room. He threatened her, but stated his malicious God would not allow him to harm her; however, because she had left her room, he had behind him a wisp of the two maids she'd attempted to save. With a flick of his wrist, and cold unchanging stare of his helmet, there was a loud crack. The maids fell to the floor, and were left there for the remainder of the day._

Somehow Zelda had ended up kneeling on the floor, and coming to her senses, she looked up at the paintings and flags on the wall.

"Pull yourself together." She whispered to herself.

"Hey! Who goes there!" cried a guard who spotted her from afar. She glanced over her shoulder, and noticed three more men standing at his command. A familiarly courageous voice came into her head and said, "Run."

Lifting her skirts, she ran as quickly as she could through the remainder of the halls, the guards shouting at her to stop as they chased after; a game of cat and mouse. The more she ran, the more guards noticed her presence.

"Stop!" They'd cry, and by the time she reached the foyer there was a whole platoon chasing after the swift princess. The music was loud and pounding by now; she cut a corner then another. Finally the doors to the King's ballroom box was in sight, but the guards were at her heels. She had five seconds to decide: confront the King, or turn around now.

 _1 second…_

She's broken all the rules already.

 _2 Seconds…_

But if she turns back now, there will be no retaliations, the guards wouldn't snitch.

 _3 Seconds…_

King Daphnes needs to hear this news.

 _4 Seconds…_

No one would know she gave up.

 _5 Seconds…_

What would the Hero do?

With a mighty push she threw open the porcelain doors, and cried out, "King Daphnes!"

The room was filled with bodies dressed in bright jewels, and colorful faces looking at her as if she was stark naked, whispering loudly as the music came to a halt and cups ceased to be filled in awe. In the center of the room was a large man sitting on a throne obscured by purple silks, his shadow against the fabric an only indication of his presence as he looked down at his party.

Slurred words left plump lips. "It seems the princess is up past her bedtime."

The crowd chuckled, long noses reaching high into the air. "King Daphnes, I insist I have an audience with you immediately!" Princess Zelda began to walk forward, only to have guard upon guard grab onto her arms and shoulders, pulling her out of the room. "Release me, I command it!" She kicked and growled. Metal clad hands appearing as obscured fingers in her eyes as she struggled to break free.

The crowd gasps at such an ugly sight, a princess thrashing about like an animal. The hidden king let out a hearty laugh and she watched him raise a cup to his lips before saying, " Do as your princess commands, men; if she's made such a fuss, it must be important."

Gingerly the guards let go, leaving the room and closing the doors behind the silent Princess. She dusted off her nightgown and raised her head tall, slowly walking toward the silk enscorned room. The crowd parted not out of respect, but disgust; they wished not to attract whatever she had at the moment - the women with plump red lips and earrings larger than their eyes said loudly, "How unsuitable for a princess to behave".

 _Do not show them how you feel, conceal all emotion,_ she reminded herself, her trademark blank face radiated indifference and emptiness. It was at this point that her escort - who was guarding the evening - noticed a small flame in the pit of her old eyes disappear to nothingness and he was amazed.

" Why are you all just standing there? Continue! " The King shouted out angrily at the band below, and the music began slowly once again, the crowd timidly starting to dance and converse. Zelda knelt down before the King and said, "King Daphnes the Third, I , Princess Zelda the -." She was interrupted by the sight before her.

He sat in his chair like a proud peacock, cheeks rosy red, hands busy with a cup of wine in one, and a woman's rear in the other. Hylian woman dressed like Gerudo slaves danced and sat around him, fanning and feeding him fruits. Such a sight sickened her, and he continued to rub and grope the woman around him even with her in his presence. Whores or not, this was no way for a King of Holy Lands to behave.

" Someday," he began, " You will have a son Princess Zelda, and you will name him King Daphnes Nohansen the Fourth in honor of my glory." His sky blue eyes looked down at her dominantly, but he was too drunk to really show any true strength.

"You're drunk." Was all Zelda could say when the rancid scent of his breath reached her nose. "The Gods do not appreciate such behavior when their kingdom's people are starving."

The King chuckled, " THEIR kingdom? You mean MY kingdom. I am the king of this land, not those bedtime stories!  
"King Daphnes, do not speak ill of the Gods!-"

"And with this rain, the crops will be fine this year."

Princess Zelda jumped up, " Just because there is good rain means nothing, they have sent me a message and-"

"Who did?" He interrupted again.

"The Gods did." She said.

He rolled his eyes, " The Gods sent you a message, what an overused statement. When will you get through your head that these so called Gods of yours are simply just means to make the poor feel adequate?! They do not exist; never have, never will!"

Her eyes widened in horror," Father! How dare you speak such blasphemy, when it is they who have given you your crown!"

He threw down his cup at her face which she dodged sloppily. His face thickened in anger, " I AM ABSOLUTE! NO GOD OR SPIRIT OR ANYTHING ORDAINED MY REIGN! I AM THE KING, WHAT I SAY IS LAW, I AM THE GODS! I AM THE NORTHERN STAR, THE SEAS, EVERYTHING!"

She held her hand up and removed a white glove, revealing in dark colors the birthmark that gave her a name. " And I am the living proof our Gods are ever constant. I - like your mother and Queens before me - am Hylia in human flesh, and I refuse to let you speak such ill of our creators! I came here to try and save you, but you're obviously too stubborn to be saved!"

There was a pregnant pause; the people stared anxiously between the King and Princess. There was a deep chuckle. " If your Gods are so grand, then why is it that their chosen princess was unable to defend her own kingdom from invaders hm? You were defeated in mere minutes after the Twili attacked, where were the Gods then? You cling onto them like a baby to their mother's teat to make up for your incompetence."

Zelda stepped back and pulled back tears as images of flames and screams filled her mind. "The Gods gave us a hero, like they always do."

" Is the only reason why you came here is to stir up trouble Princess? I refuse to give you back the opportunity to become Queen again, we've been through this. You were far too young the first time, and I now know that a benevolent ruler isn't what Hyrule needs anymore. This country is reformed now. I suggest you go before you consider to make a fool of yourself, if you haven't already." King Daphnes sat back down and smoothed back snow white hair.

"Grandmother would never rule this way," she said under her breath, "The Gods were her strongest allies."

"The Gods are not real, you stupid girl! Now escort yourself from my presence," His eyes lit up, " Or maybe you should join the festivities, perhaps your beloved hero could help you from embarrassing yourself more." The room erupted in laughter, but Zelda walked away in false pride, wearing her tears proud as they snickered and judged her.

This Hyrule was one she did not enjoy, one where the Gods are long forgotten and spat on, and she was more a myth to the people than a savior. She could hear their prayers at times, they begged Din to give their Rose the strength to save them, but this made her feel even more weak. What was she to do when the enemy was no longer darkness, but her own flesh and blood.

"Gods help me." Was her only comment as she left the room, and wished she had the hero's courage to do something for her people.

" _You and I are not so different you know," The rose commented when faced with an imp dressed in light and shadow. Both friend and foe, the creature rolled blood red eyes._

" _What makes you say that, hm?" The friend responded._

" _I can see you are cursed, just as I am," the rose looked away, "Maybe worse so."_

 _The friend spat," Don't you dare refer to us as equals. I'm not weak like you are, I wouldn't give my people up to save my own skin. You're a coward, and I'm glad twilight is everywhere. Your Gods have abandoned you just like they did us."_

 _There was a full silence in the room, and rose touched the glass of her window, looking down at the emptiness below. " Then why do you stay here with me?"_

" _I'm looking for something, and I'm pretty sure you know where to find it." The friend stared her down coldly, running her nimble fingers on stone before looking at her tiny hand in shame._

" _I am of no use to you. I pray the Gods show me what you seek, but they have showed me nothing." The symbol on the rose's hand lit up faintly._

" _Are you an idiot?! I just told you your Gods have left you, why can't you accept that? They. Won't. Save. You!" The door at the foot of the tower opened, and the friend jumped up to move out the window before the monster checked the chamber. Just as she was about to leave the rose spoke in a whisper._

" _That is where you are wrong. There is a legend amongst our people of a hero who transcends time. It is only when the land is in turmoil will the Gods send him to the women of the Hylian royal family, and they have never let us down yet. I eagerly am awaiting his arrival, for I , like my ancestors have received visions of darkness and light, and his name floats in my mind every second."_

 _The friend curiously asked, " How will you know it's him?'_

 _Her marked hand rose up to her face and revealed triangles thrice in a symbol not familiar to the imp hidden in darkness. " He will be protected from darkness just as I am."_

 _A shocked expression graced the friend's face as she left the chamber with a planning grin._

* * *

 **And that's the end of the Prologue of this story! This is probably my last fanfic ever, and this is a story I have been planning since I was about 10 years old and finished Twilight Princess, a dark and realistic take on the amazing game that deserved so much more love. So thank you for taking the time to read it and hopefully you've enjoyed it. I plan to publish a new chapter once a month, but since this is the prologue I've decided to post chapter two ( one?) next week. One way to start the new year huh? And I promise you there will be romance so bare with me.  
**

 **Special thanks to my beta reader: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Please leave a review so I can know if I should continue this journey and let me know how I'm doing.**

 **Bye!**


	2. Chapter 1

**_Thank you to anyone who favorited this story and left a review! As I promised he's the next chapter, it only took a year to make ;) (I'm sorry for that bad pun)._**

 **EDIT: After receiving a specific review I realized that there is a bit of confusion over the character King Daphnes III in this story. The King Daphnes in this story is NO WAY connected to the King of Red Lions King Daphnes Nohansen from Wind Waker. They are not the same character, the purpose of them having a similar name is because most monarchies have multiple generations with the same name, so it made sense for me to give Zelda's father a name we have seen in another game. Wind Waker and Twilight Princess are from separate timelines also, they don't meet up, so I apologize for the confusion! So don't worry, Wind Waker Daphnes is a super sweet man, and the only thing he has in common with the jerk king in this story is the name. Once again I'm so sorry if anyone was confused!  
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 _ **Alright, with out further a do!  
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* * *

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere. In this unknown the feeling of heaviness is imminent, choking and paralyzing. A pair of large eyes made of flames stares down at her, unblinking and unforgiving, just watching as she stands still in the nothingness. Its terrifying blaze begins to bleed from the floor and lick at her heels. The fire grows larger and larger until it's a field of inferno, and standing in it's destruction is a man with his back to her - his hair red like the flames and skin grey as ash. The corrupt Gerudo King looks at her over his shoulder grinning; in his chest lay evil's bane impaled within him, and from the wound oozes a shadow, his reflection. He laughs madly, but above him glows a bright and holy light. Both him and his shadow continue to stare at her as she covers her eyes. Three orbs fall from up above and separate, one nearly hitting her as it rushed by. There's a twinge of pain, and looking down, blood covers her abdomen whilst a man stands in front of her, crying out her name. And as the droplets hit the floor they form the triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light._

Princess Zelda awoke from the night terror with a horrified scream. Her eyes shot open, face and body drenched in sweat, breath labored and pained. Her chambers were empty and dark, lit only by the dying embers in the fireplace. She quickly leaned over to ignite her bedside candle. The small light was then carried and held over her stomach where she checked for the wound, only to find her nightgown as innocently white as she had left it.

"Your Highness, is everything alright?" A guard asked from outside the room.

She caught her breath. "Yes...It was only a night terror, do not worry."

This was the seventh time she'd had this same dream, and such an occurrence concerned her. Her hands lightly shook. Any time a woman of the Hylian Royal Family had a reoccurring dream, it was something to be cautious about, and her cryptic nightmare was what she needed to tell the King. _Of course he isn't listening to me_ , she thought to herself. She wasn't able to go back to sleep.

...

Alger the courtier had watched the princess like a hawk since the day she could crawl. His long roman nose mimicked a beak, and his lanky fingers that curled around quills as he scribbled on his table looked like talons.

Although he paraded proud and tall with his feathers fluffed and cleaned, he was, in reality, just a garden crow with painted wings.

"You will be sharing a meal with your father and the crowd, in which I have been told to remind you that you are required to stay silent." He drew out the last word until it was a hiss.

Princess Zelda - her back turned to him and hidden behind a folding screen as Impaz tied the corset around her chemise - nodded. When the woman left to grab the next article of clothing, Zelda went to loosen the garment. Her father wanted it to be so tight that she would have to discontinue her fencing from a lack of breath, but she was no idiot. "A princess is to be seen, not heard," She responded to Alger like a schoolgirl regurgitating lines.

"Precisely," He looked at the small Impaz and waved his quill, "You there, woman, can't you move any faster? The princess has a busy schedule."

Impaz glared at him with her ruby eyes and he flinched. "I may be old but I'm not slow. You can't rush perfection, especially when it comes to the robing of our nation's rose. Imagine how mad King Daphnes would be if his rose came dressed like a weed?"

Alger's beady black eyes widened. " Carry on then."

Zelda cracked a smirk, but quickly returned to her stoic face. Once clothed and jeweled, the Sheikah woman began to brush her hair slowly in a soothing rhythm. Alger's squawking and the pull of the brush couldn't tug her from the stupor she began to sink into. _What does that dream mean?_ She asked herself, and her stomach twisted at the possibilities.

Once Impaz was finished, the princess stood up and walked to her dresser. She heard Alger scoff when she grabbed her white ribbons.

"A princess should not do her own hair, it's peasant-like." He mumbled. But this was the only thing she was allowed to do on her own.

She remembered the day her grandmother taught her this hairstyle, the way her aged hands brushed lightly as her brown locks were swept back to reveal her face.

"Hair may be seen as just vanity but there's something more to it," She'd say, " It's a symbol of pride. To hide behind your hair is like hiding behind your castle walls from the enemy. Show your face proud to say you aren't afraid."

Zelda tied the parted hair against the back of her head, grabbing her gold jeweled hair brooch and slipping it on. She reached her arms back to the bottom of her hair and gently grabbed a handful. Impaz noticed how after years of wearing this particular style, the princess's hair transitioned from straight to small waves at the tips, and was impressed by how effortlessly she braided and wrapped the bottoms even without seeing them.

She took the hair still lingering on her face and wrapped them tightly in white ribbon, capping the tips, and starting on the other side. She looked at herself in the mirror and wondered how many years she wore her hair this way, how many times her hands went through the repetition she knew too well. She couldn't change her style, there were too many memories sown into the strands.

 _The first time I saw him, my hair was like this...When the invasion began, my hair was like this...When he saved me from evil, my hair was -_

"Time is of the essence, Your Highness!" Alger nagged. Zelda hadn't noticed her hands were shaking.

...

As her, Impaz, Alger, and the guard from last night escorted her from her bedroom to the dining hall, she felt like a prisoner being sent to her death. Breakfast with the crowd and death row: weren't they the same thing? A part of her, her grandmother's side, wanted to jump up and run, to carry herself off on Farore's winds and never look back! But she remained in the halls with her thoughts,; that was reality. Her grandmother's alter ego wasn't her's, and she made sure to remember it.

"I know what you plan to do, so don't do it." Alger warned.

"Pardon?" Zelda asked, face forward yet eyes interested on the paintings of the many Queens on the wall. Queen Zelda the sixteenth looked to be the most displeased, her cat-like eyes peering down at you in annoyance. But she figured keeping four rowdy boys under control did that to you.

"You're going to sit down thinking you can fulfil your own agenda, use it to hold an audience with the King, and I advise you don't." He scolded.

"Is it not my duty as this kingdom's princess to care for my nation? He should be wanting to hear when I receive a premonition."

Alger made a foul sound, "Enough with that mumbo jumbo premonition nonsense!"

She gave him a sharp glare and the ground nearly rumbled beneath her. "Never speak so ill of the goddesses' gifts! The Queens of the past were able to save Hyrule because of them, and not once have they been wrong! I had received a warning for the Twilight Invasion and it had happened because of my ignorance!"

 _No, that isn't true._

She lied, she hadn't said all those things to Alger, but she wished she had. It was what she felt. She wished to yell and defend her people's belief and if she was stronger she would have. What the princess really said was, "The Gods care deeply for their people, thus they bring premonitions of the bad so to have us combat it with no fear." She did not raise her voice, nor make the earth rumble under her passion. She was stoic and passive as she was raised to be. Maybe if she was braver she'd do it, and then she wouldn't feel so terrible when her people suffered because she'd know she was actively trying to stop it. That's why she envied Midna. _Don't let them see you feel,_ she reminded herself.

Alger smirked, "If your Gods are so great, why didn't they stop the Twilight to begin with? The only divinity in this world is our king."

Impaz whispered, "Why don't you kiss his arse then?"

...

"Friends, colleagues, associates, how happy am I to have you here at my table," King Daphnes raised his gauntlet up and took a slow sip of wine. "Here at this table is Hyrule's best leaders, and I implore you to eat the finest food in the land."

The table was covered in sterling silverware and the light from outside pooled into the room and onto the array of different foods and drinks before them. The rain was fleeting, as was the patience of the court that wished to just sink their teeth into their meals already. As the king sat they rushed to fill their gullets, stacking their plates high yet not forgetting proper table manners to a point.

 _These pigs are more closer to being beetles than Hyrule's best_ , Zelda thought to herself as she watched the court eat smugly with a blank expression. Sloth filled the dining room as they drank and ate with loud slurps and stomachs going blurp blurp blurp. Never would her grandmother allow such behaviour in her castle, no King nor Queen would-

"Princess Zelda, you haven't touched your food." The man beside her commented, his mustache drenched in the juices of his wine.

She looked at him, and at the sight of her steel blue eyes, he jumped. "I am not hungry, thank you."

"Nonsense, you need to eat," a woman across from her sneered, "But from the look of that waist you probably just peck at food like a bird."

"Quite the contrary; I am simply not a slovenly pig, and I refuse to eat while many of my people hunger-"

"Zelda," King Daphnes interrupted, "The drought is over."

"And I am telling you another is to come, and so much more calamity." She stared out the window, watching the rain begin to thin. The crowd shared concerned glances at how mundanely she said it.

The man beside her chuckled,"So Milord-"

King Daphnes brushed the man away, "Princess Zelda, our rose of Hyrule; the court has been dying to hear your tale of what occurred when we left you in charge of the nation whilst on leave. They were with me when I was on my way to Termania, and I'm sure they'd love to hear the story of how the Dark King was able to possess the supposed _Hylia in human flesh."_

Zelda's heart stopped, and she dropped her fork on her plate. This was low even for him.

"Oh yes, what was it like?" The man beside her asked.

Her hands began to tremble and she watched them all closely and tensed up, ready to run. The room was closing in on her, and she forgot how to speak.

 _Total darkness, all light sucked out of her until she was left utterly alone, pulled from her self and into nihility. It's tight and choking, numb and terrifying._

"Is he really a Gerudo? I heard they've been extinct for years." The woman scoffed. They didn't notice how her eyes grew more distant than ever before, lost to a place where they couldn't reach her. Or maybe they did notice, and the sight of her sweating brow and skittish expression made her seem more human, and thus she grew to be less mythical and untouchable.

 _The Gods' love was non existent here; all she felt was rage and sadness so strong it seemed ready to rip her to shreds from the inside. Voices cried out and all she could do was lay in this lonely oblivion._

Zelda's heart pounded and breath became shallow and rapid. No one cared, and continued to ask, "Where did you go when possessed?"

 _His fiery eyes watched her intently, held her captive and showed her false images of massacre, famine, death, and the hero walking away. Happiness and hope were sucked from her until she felt dead, her thorns ripped from her stems to be used as weapons._

...

It was long after the court was dismissed and plates put away when the ghosts left the tired mind of the princess. The help passing through eyed her briefly before scurrying out the door, and the child who recognized her as the storyteller made an attempt to grab her attention until the older one grabbed their hand and told them to leave her be.

She closed her eyes and held her quivering hands to her chest, giving a short prayer to Din as the panic dimmed. The harsh beating of her heart began to relax, and she could finally feel the cold air on her skin, unknowing of the young man standing over her.

"Pardon me, Your Highness, may I speak to you in private?" He asked.

Her eyes shot open as she turned her head to face him. He stood tall with fine robes on his body and shimmering jewels on knuckles. His face was smooth and held two sapphire orbs and sand blonde hair hiding elvish ears. _He looks like him,_ she thought to herself with an internal smile.

"Of course, it is my duty to listen to all of my subjects." She felt a blush creep up her neck in chagrin. How dumb she must have looked, staring at nothing for Gods know how long!

He smiled bowing, "Perfect. I am Lord Harlan, my father is a Thane of this lovely nation and I'd like for you to hear me out."

She said nothing, and he just continued to run his mouth. "Hyrule is the land blessed by the Gods, a living testament to the divine's love."

"Your patriotism is invigorating." she said with a joking voice but still expression.

"It has such a rich and proud history, it has stood the test of time and bore the greatest men and women the world has ever seen! A kingdom of prosperity and wealth, leaders in both military and scholarly achievements. And we the Hylians, with ears pointed so we could hear the voice of our goddesses, and fair hair matching the same tint of our beloved triforce, and blue eyes-"

Zelda interrupted, "I am sorry, but is there a point to this monologue?"

He swooned, "My apologies, your Highness, passion has carried me astray. What I mean to say is that I have a proposition for you. You and I are both unhappy about Hyrule's current state I'm sure; the corruption, heathenry, we've abandoned the values set by your grandmother's golden age, but I have an idea," Zelda tilted her head but let him continue, "This land was made for us the Hylians, born from Hylia's image. We had a language so beautiful and instruments of power bestowed to us to help protect from our enemies! But the moment we let those-" he spat, "-humans live in our towns and villages, their filth took our jobs and destroyed our culture. They're like rats; they just multiply and multiply, undignified and must be gotten rid of!"

 _He is nothing like him,_ Zelda thought, rage bubbling in her core. "Are you proposing we eradicate our human citizens from the kingdom?"

"More like relocate. This is holy land for the holiest breed."

She clenched her fist. "Are you aware that eighty percent of the population is human, Lord Harlan? And that us Hylians, all though we live far past our human brothers' years, have at most two children in our lifetime? We are the minority here, and relocating our brothers as you mentioned would mean an economic crash!"

His smile fell.

"And we may be in Hylia's image, but _all_ of us are Farore's children: Goron, Zora, Hylian, Human, all of us have the right to share this land! How dare you come to me, a member of the Royal family whose duty from birth is to protect all life, asking me to take hard working, honest living humans away from their homes into death?!" She rose her head up and brought her voice down, "Has it been brought to your attention, Lord Harlan, that I did not inherit my grandmother's golden hair? Have you ever wondered that? My mother and father bear fair hair yet here I am with dark locks. Do you know why? Because my mother's blood was half human, and mine carries a forth of it."

She was surprised to see Lord Harlan chortle at the statement. " Two more generations of breeding with a pure blood should wash that right out."

"How dare you!" She growled, her face making a slight scowl.

"I had a feeling you'd be a bit cold to my proposition, as was the King, but my following has been growing with the political corruption in the court and it would be in your best interest to support our cause." He declared matter-of-factly, watching her dangerously.

Her brows gave a slight furrow. "And what makes you think that?"

The man gave a suspicious smile as he chuckled and closed his eyes. " Let's just say I have a silvertongue, and access to many heralds' pockets. Not like they'd say anything new, your image was damaged enough by your own doing."

Her stomach flipped, shame rose up her neck. "Is that a threat?"

"Only if you make it one."

Zelda, to his surprise, stepped closer to him and leaned in so her face was inches from his. In a dominant whisper she stated, "Are you aware that threatening the crown is a federal offense punishable by death? That the one who leads the trail is the King of Hyrule himself and from the sound of it, you and him don't quite see eye to eye. I could have you killed now and no one would notice, you'd be wiped clean from existence, all evidence of your life destroyed to the point where your own mother would question if you were real or just wishful thinking," She paused to read her opponent's eyes, "...Lucky for you, my grandmother raised me instead of my father; those practices are barbaric and unjust in my opinion so we're just going to forget this meeting ever happened, you're going to leave my castle, and I am going to attend evening worship without even thinking about this incident, am I clear?"

The man gulped hard and nodded slowly, his confidence leaving his body through the beads of sweat on his face. "But if I hear any human in my kingdom has been maimed or relocated for any reason..." She grabbed the knife on the table and quickly held it to his throat, "Expect to meet our Gods, see if they care about your golden hair."

...

The Oracles raised a cucco high above their heads and chanted in a fake language for around five minutes. Zelda had to contain her laughter at such ridiculousness that plagued these great temples. The cucco was finally brought down, its head looking from side to side quickly as they bathed it in incense. King Daphnes demanded Oracles like these lead the shrines and temples, false prophets and professional liars. Zelda was not allowed to intervene, just to sit at the altar and pray that her people knew better than to listen to these morons. Her grandmother would drop dead a second time at the sight of this, and the princess wished she'd inherited her spunk so she could talk her way into getting the Oracles to change their ways. Alas, all she could do was sit.

"The incense on this beast shall please our Gods, the smell shall soothe them just as it does our children," One Oracle said to the crowd, "And we thank our King for giving us the scents."

Of course the King would add his propaganda into this! Zelda's heart raced in anger, but she controlled her breathing to calm herself down.

She hated having this episodes. The way it made her feel like her lungs were burning, and no matter how deeply she breathed she felt like she was suffocating. The trauma from all those years were still etched into her mind as if it happened yesterday and when she didn't want to see the images, they'd reappear, louder than she remembered. It was the reason why she'd been losing her temper more easily now; perhaps that was beneficial since it kept bad people away. She lied when she told herself that tight bodices were the only reasons why she stopped fencing in private; it was for fear of seeing her men fall to the ground like rags because of her incompetence over and over as she struck down dummies. Maybe that was a good thing that her fear kept her away since her father would crucify her for going against his wishes. It was the reason she felt like her own prison.

Her hands began to shake again, trying not to think about the memories - but pushing them away only made them come back harder.

 _The rose watched in horror as the serpent slithered out from black smoke, but she shows no fear as her men look to her for strength. She is tall and at full bloom, and the swords try and mimic her confidence. But when the monsters bolted out from the shadow, fear erupted throughout her stem, and the swords took this feigned confidence to battle with them._

 _She knew they stood no chance against the enemy, but her fear left her frozen and she just let her men run to their deaths. She'd never seen the life leave a man's eyes until that day, and the image of their eyes looking to her in longing would forever be stained into her petals. The rose begins to wilt before them and her hands shake in fear, but she and three boots stood tall. They were the reason she needed to survive now._

 _The serpent finally strutted toward her, hissing a single option given not only to her, but her nation as whole: her motherland would need her help._

" _...Surrender, or die."_

Zelda hadn't noticed tears were down her face until Impaz's frail hand appeared with a handkerchief. She'd done it again, had another episode in front of Hyrule Castle Town.

"It's okay, Your Highness." The ancient woman smiled.

The whole congregation was watching her in silence and the Oracles had even ended their practices to just stare at her. She thought she saw the Hero in the crowd, but peered closer, she was mistaken. She blushed, but made no face.

 _Show no weakness_ , she told herself, cleaning her visage and standing up.

"Pardon me, the Goddesses' love has overwhelmed me." The people awed and smiled at their princess, their love for her growing. Sometimes she'd hope to see _him_ in the crowds.

Impaz and the princess left the temple and traveled to her chamber before a guard could escort her. The last thing she wanted was another person to see her in this state.

"Please relax princess, what would you think the Hero would say if he saw you like this?" Impaz held her hand tightly. Why was he the continuous means for calming her down to people? It had been four years since they crossed paths.

But what _would_ the hero think? She'd imagine if they were closer he'd given her a hug.

"I apologize. I just get these feelings that frighten me. It's as if I've been possessed and I panic." Zelda held a stoic face, _Do not show weakness._

...

The rain had stopped, just as she predicted, and the enigmatic beauty glided into her chamber for the evening. She looked out her window and felt a swell of satisfaction in her breast. _I told you King Daphnes._

"I heard that young lord pester you in the dining hall. Punk kid, and here I thought he was going to ask for your hand." Impaz laughed.

"I won't marry a man of this court. Like my grandmother did, I shall became Queen first and then a bride. That way, we ensure the Gods blessing befalls the land. There's a reason why we have the great Queens of Hyrule rather than Kings." Her voice fell to a whisper, her attention was more focused on the sun peeking out from the grey clouds. Her hands drifted out to grasp the cold blue ocarina off her dresser.

Impaz, tidying up the room a bit, look at her princess and beamed. "You're more like your grandmother than you think," she croaked to herself.

The ocarina met with tender lips as the princess gave a gentle breath to the instrument. She played the Song of Storms at an eerily slow pace, a trademark of hers. Her grandmother was fast and kept with the tempo, but she preferred to draw the notes out until they were somber yet beautiful. A bittersweet sort of sound.

The rain clouds blocked out the sun once more, and the rain fell from the sky in hard pours. Looking down she saw the people leave the temple in hordes, staring at the horizon in awe as the Oracles praised themselves on a job well done. Zelda would never get the credit for saving her people from a drought once more, but as long as they were smiling, it was okay.

...

Later in the evening, Princess Zelda sat at her desk with scrolls sprawled out in front of her. She sent Impaz to see if the working children were still in the castle with their mothers so she could tell them another story, but the Sheikah woman returned with literature in her arms. That was fine;as much as she loved speaking to the children and keeping her culture alive, she was content with reading the ancient stories of her people and practicing her Hylian calligraphy.

Impaz was piling up the clothes that needed washing when there was a light knock on the door. The princess was so focused on the quill and ink under her control that she never pulled up to see who it was. The old woman opened the thick door to see the palace courier rummaging through his bag of letters.

"Can I help you?" She inquired, earrings jangling as her head tilted to the side.

"I have a letter for Princess Zelda the Eighteenth," He held out a gold sealed envelope.

Impaz took it and asked, "From whom?"

"King Daphnes gave it to me to send." The courier left.

Impaz waddled over to the sitting woman. Struggling to put the letter on her desk due to her height, Impaz just pressed it against Zelda's arm. "You received a letter, Your Highness."

She made no face of surprise but her tone said it all. "Thank you."

The letter was small, and opening it she saw it was not in her father's handwriting yet his signature was at the bottom. Her eyes read over the letter and her heart dropped. Blood went cold as she read it over and over again, thinking there had to have been some different message in between the lines. Her hands began to quiver, and adrenaline made it hard to stay still. With a forceful scream she cried out, "KING DAPHNES!"

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 **Cliffhangers I know, they suck cx I know this chapter is a bit small, but trust me the next ones will become thicker and more...satisfying? Nonetheless, the next chapter should be posted before the end of the month, sometime between the 15th and the 31st depending on a few factors.  
**

 **If you all want to see (read?) more please leave a review, a comment, a question, or a concern, or even just to leave a cupcake I don't mind :)**

 **My lovely Beta reader: SunnyAirisu222**

 **See ya later!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Hello! Got everything done a little earlier than than I expected so here we are, the next chapter!**

 **Btw, if you didn't read before in my edit of Chapter 2, King Daphnes is not the same as the one from Wind Waker, they are two different people. For better explanation see the Author's Note in Chapter 2!**

 **Without further ado!...**

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"KING DAPHNES!" The name echoed off the throne room walls in a roar. The court fled the scene as though avoiding the plague, but stayed within gossiping distance.

Zelda stomped into the room, her white nightgown fluttering around her angrily as she held a piece of parchment in her hand. "King Daphnes!"

The King sat lazily in his throne, his swollen gullet peaking out from the crevice of his crimson robe. Underneath the statue of the goddesses and their beloved triforce, he appeared so small and insignificant, and this powered her will to lash at him.

"What is it now, Princess Zelda? Don't you see I have a kingdom to run!" He groaned, removing his crown to slick back gray hairs before returning it to his cranium.

She stood pouting in her white nightgown like a child upset that storytime ended and held out the letter for him to read. Her hair was undone and wild just as she. "Explain this!" She ordered, hands lightly shaking.

He leaned in, squinted, and sat back down. "It's stationary," he waved his hand at her, "And the seal implies it's from the Kingdom of Neighsdon."

"I can see that, King Daphnes, but the words on the parchment!" She began to read it aloud, " ' _To the nation of Hyrule – We, the crown of Neighsdon, have carefully considered the proposition of a political and military alliance within the Companions Convention. Being so, we have also agreed to bond our kingdoms more closely through the matrimony of both heirs as you have insisted. At the start of a new season our Prince Harod II will spend three moons with your kingdom and Princess Zelda XVIII before the wedding. Long live both our lines, The Crown of Neighsdon_!' What have you done!?"

"What does it look like? I'm ensuring my kingdom is in good hands when I pass." He appeared bored.

"That's all you have to say? The crown is _my_ birthright, King Daphnes, late Queen Zelda granted it to me as her final wish before death within her will – you have no legal authority to go against the naming of her heir!" Zelda threw the letter down fervently.

He chuckled, "You obviously haven't read the articles well enough. You _were_ given the crown, and failed to protect the nation as required. Thus I have the authority under ancient law to revoke your status and choose a new heir; Prince Harod II."

Her stomach dropped. He wasn't wrong, but it didn't seem right. She wasn't told she was under any form of probation for her coronation; none whatsoever that seemed legal, that is. "I never received a trial for my eradication of the throne, thus I am owed a second chance. I am more prepared than I was before." She had him now.

But he just laughed, crushing her tower of mock confidence. "Everyone in this castle knows you're far from being mentally prepared for _**my**_ kingdom."

Time stood still.

"You think I didn't notice? I'm no idiot, Princess, your little episodes are hard to miss! Still scarred after trauma that happened four years ago? Pathetic. Our enemies would eat you up and spit you out before we had a chance to strike." His tone was ridiculing yet his stern expression led her to believe, for a small instant, that he really did care about the nation. A foreigner would be easy to manipulate: he'd ask little questions and try his best to impress an aged King of a grandiose empire, especially a sovereign foreigner like Prince Harod.

 _The Queens of late were who made us great,_ Zelda thought, trying her best to ignore the pain of the wound his words bore in her. She softened her tone and pleaded, "He is not even of Hylian descent...The Gods gave us this land, our culture, our beliefs, all of it would be compromised by this foreign rule! They vandalized our holy temples in the Great War and insult our way of life, yet you still want them ruling our people? Were they not the ones that banned our Goron brethren into their cities? _Our_ family and our family alone are ordained to rule! Only a hero should be the most foreign King - I refuse to marry him!" Her hands and neck felt numb, pins and needles jumped up and down her skin as she feared what the future held.

His wrinkled eyes sparkled in entertainment, and the cracked corners of his thin lips raised to a sick smile. "You have got to be joking princess – this is rich!" He roared in laughter, nearly choking on his amusement.

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I see what is going on here, Princess. Why you _really_ don't want to marry him." He slashed at her.

Zelda made no comment.

"Did you really think you had a chance with the Hero of Twilight? He left after the invasion and isn't coming back," he chuckled, "How cute that the princess wants her knight in shining armor! This isn't one of your legends, foolish girl."

The hidden crowd erupted into fits of pleasing laughter to match their Kings'. Zelda took a sharp intake of breath and instinctively touched her chest wounded by his words. Was that really why she was against it? Her mind wandered to the moment she read the notice, what was the first thing she thought?

 _I saw his face..._ Idiot girl! _What a ludicrous notion_ , she cursed herself for allowing her father to manipulate her perceptions. She'd known for a long time he wasn't coming back, his expression at the knighting said so. "My concern is for the kingdom." she countered.

King Daphnes scratched his bearded chin before dodging her statement. "My mind has been made and you are to accept it as fact!"

"But–"

"Have I made myself clear!" He struck her down with a strong blow; she was beaten once again. Talking with her father was like sparring with an opponent that never loses. The crowd chortled and grinned maliciously as the drama climaxed, and the young rose lost all fire she had left in her.

She stared up at her King in dismay, mouth quivering as she tried to keep a steady upper lip. "Yes...Your Majesty." She whispered.

"I couldn't hear you, say that again!" He commanded, purposely humiliating her for trying to test him.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" She shouted, closing her eyes and hands shaking. Her grandmother's face was behind her eyelids, frowning sadly at her granddaughter.

"Good. Now leave me, you have the honor of leading the Court of Common Pleas in the morning. You like that humdrum, don't you?" He motioned her off, and her escort came and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She jumped back and stared at him like a cornered animal. He let go and apologized briefly, guiding her out of the room.

Before she left, the princess glanced back at the throne, how the Goddesses circled the triforce in such an exquisite statue. She briefly recalled when they built it, how sad their faces looked to such a young child blind to the horrors that made the Gods weep. In the invasion they were nearly destroyed, treated like trash yet still able to be put together in almost mint condition. Now as, she looked at their stone masks, their eyes pitied her, and they clung to their beloved treasure tighter than they had before. The crack on their thin throats were very noticeable now, and the princess began to weep.

She wept not for herself, but for the children who wouldn't be able to discern the many faces of the Gods.

The iron doors swung open harshly and a loud growl filled the room. "ARGHHH!" Zelda shouted exasperatedly into the air as she stomped into her room in a flurry of rage and sorrow married together into a storm of emotion. Impaz jumped back in shock by how different the princess appeared as she thrashed and threw things across the room. She knocked over chairs and tossed dresses onto the floor with no care for the safety of the room.

At one point her hair had come loose from its bonds and wiped around with her frantic movements across the room. She screamed and shouted, taking her crown and tossing it far away from her. Impaz grew fearful, her hands outstretched in an attempt to help the heartbreaking girl. Her eyes were rabid and face flushed as her fury poured out of her like a fountain, heavy flowing with Impaz drowning in it.

Zelda tossed herself to her window as she fumbled to open it, allowing a large gust of air into the room that extinguished all light from within. The frigidness of it felt good against her hot flesh as she gave an odd cross between a scream and a cry.

And just as her voice grew quiet and echoes ebbed away there was an unnatural silence. Within this hush a distant howl erupted from the distance, small and weak as if from an old dog. The princess looked out across the dark horizon and searched the fields. For an instant she didn't feel so alone.

A few moments passed before another howl sounded, this time from within her city walls. She couldn't move, didn't think, only listen to the animals sing to the moon and breathe shallowly.

 _The rose gazed hazily out the window as she contemplated her options. She could jump out the window to freedom, but her people would die; she could stay and wait, but then nothing would be done about this problem and her people still die. She bore different ideas but none could be harvested for use. She had seen enough deaths already._

 _There was a click of a lock at her door but she hadn't noticed, the black slits of twilight had her weary mind locked in attention; she would have never detected another person in the room had it not been for the feral growl that stirred her intentness, and the laugh of a person she vaguely remembered. She turned her head to the side, but the hood of her cloak obscured the visitors. She was genuinely surprised to see two real beings within her room and gave a slight gasp. After so many nights of seeing illusions sent by the serpent of death and torture, the rose hadn't expected this. It didn't feel real._

 _It was the imp with her signature smirk, and a beast that raised itself in attention as it spotted the rose in a makeshift form of respect. The rose was curious about the wolf, and one look into its bright blue eyes, she saw the sun radiate from within. This was no animal at all. She stayed there, reading into its orbs that stirred such warm hope within her._

 _The rose spoke the imp's name, still watching the sun and he watching her._

" _Eee Hee! You remember my name? What an honor for me…" There was sarcasm in her voice: the rose did not expect a sweet meeting from the imp anyways. She was aware their companionship was only business._

 _The imp and the rose continued to swap conversation, the rose still wondering what the imp would do with an animal with human eyes. They continued to speak about the creature as if it wasn't there, the rose being brief but the imp daring to slander her continuously._

" _...Twilight Princess! Eee Hee!" The imp dubbed her. It was an insult in her mind, but the princess saw that underneath those ruby eyes there was an ironic twist to that statement, a sort of melancholy she couldn't understand about the way she said the title._

 _The rose went on to explain the situation, the serpent and all his evils against her and her people. She still declared herself its flower in pride, yet her heart was continually heavy in her chest as the cries and tears of her nation crossed her mind._

" _You don't have to look so sad!.." The imp stated, "We find it quite liveable…" Perpetual twilight may have been good enough from them, but not the rose. And the sun seemed to agree with her, she could feel it in the way he stared at her when she relieved herself of her shield._

 _The imp continued to be masked in mystery, and the rose feared the beast that would make his rounds to her chamber soon. She feared not the monsters but what they would do to her people if they were caught, and she bid the imp and the sun farewell. The wolf looked into her eyes for the last time and she saw within it everything she needed to feel again. When they left, she raised her hand to see her destiny still shining in joy, and her faith was restored in the legends of old._

"Princess…" An aged voice called out to her softly.

Zelda opened her eyes to find herself sticking her head out to catch the wind between her strands. _Farore bless me._

"Princess…" Impaz tugged on the nightgown gently.

Zelda looked down at the woman and complied, unaware of how or when she arrived up there. "I am sorry."

"Your Highness, what happened?"

The princess dropped to her knees to be at eye level with the woman, the motherliness in her words comforting her.

"I failed at my destiny," Zelda spoke in a low voice, "I tried so hard to be the ruler my grandmother wanted me to be, I tried to help my people, but now...Now I will never be able to right my wrongs."

Impaz gasped roughly, "Nonsense, why would you say that?"

"I am to marry Prince Harod of Neighsdon at the end of the season. _He_ is going to inherit the kingdom, not me. I'll be stuck in my position forever, and no hero is coming to save Hyrule this time, not from itself." Zelda began to sob, "I wish I was tough like Midna, or had the same attitude as grandmother, then maybe...Just, maybe I could save this kingdom."

The elderly woman held the princess' face in her small hand and thumped her lightly on the forehead. "Stop comparing yourself, child, it only brings more problems," she laughed, "I think you handled the Twilight Crisis just as well as anyone else, maybe even better. You are a Zelda of Hyrule, and last I recalled, not all the Queens with your name were great, but the Gods have blessed you with abilities we cannot fathom! You've had a rough two days. You need to rest and start over again tomorrow."

Impaz grabbed the princess delicately and lead her towards her bed, and the thought of rest soothed the tired monarch up until she remembered what came within sleep. The reoccurring dream haunted her still, and she wondered how she was planning to get rest if she was bound to wake up in a fright some time later. _Maybe the dream was to warn me of this_ , she thought to herself. That would mean she would not be visited by the vision tonight, and the possibility of that was the best news she heard all day.

She was wrong, so terribly wrong. Last night was by far the worst she'd experienced in four years; her nightmare raged on louder and more lucid than ever before, she felt the flames and heard the dark chuckles in consciousness. Another thing to add on her list of woes and–

"Princess Zelda, please stop moving!" The painter scolded exhaustively, "Do you want me to put a stick under your chin so you'll stop drooping?" He wasn't joking.

Zelda looked up at him blankly, although her stomach flipped in embarrassment. "I am sorry."

Portrait paintings were always so tedious. The painter usually had patience for her and appreciated her natural stillness but today he could not fathom why she left her head fall and shoulders slump; she looked to be melting before him. Impaz, on the other hand, huffed at the artist, "No need to be so rude."

The man peeped his head out from behind his canvas and peered at the sassy Impaz. "I didn't know the raisin could could talk."

At this Impaz's ruby eyes flared, "What did you call me!?" She bared her fist and shook it, her turquoise pendant rattling on her neck.

"Hush, you're interrupting my focus." He waved his brush at her, tilting his hat forward to reveal a patch of bald hair.

Impaz grinned, "Ha! You're one to talk, your head looks like a squash!"

The artist paused and jumped off his stool, walking up to the woman to stand over her. To Zelda's amusement, she noticed that the painter was no taller than Impaz; he was shorter in fact! The princess watched cautiously as the elderly man and equally elderly woman glared at each other. The tufts of Impaz's hair seemed as frazzled as her emotions at the moment, and the artist's mustache curled with his patience.

Eventually the artist laughed heartily, and to Zelda's confusion, her nursemaid did the same.

"You have quite the mouth on you," He chuckled, slowly walking back with a hunched back to his chair.

Impaz crossed her arms, "So do you, for an old fart."

They both cackled with friendly smiles. Whatever silent communication passed between them was unfathomable to the princess, but she knew well to not ask questions. The two continued to converse here and there about the generation she was never a part of and Zelda lost herself within her mind once more. It would be a matter of time before she was scolded again for moving her head lower than before, but before the time came, she was able to ponder a great many things.

It started with more sulking, and allowing the finality of her life sink in, that her dream of holding the throne and being one of the great Queens was impossible. Her destiny, whisked away by a stranger who was a puppet for a greater evil to her people. This was what she was reduced to, simply watching her kingdom from afar, a third party whose only contribution was a facade to soothe the occasional rebel. Just as she was four years ago.

Maybe the world wasn't consumed in Twilight now, but the monsters still roam the castle in different forms. But she was still its hopeless princess, forced to observe mutely as torture was inflicted on her land. There was the possibility that she could try and manipulate her betrothed, but such an idea didn't sit well with her.

Meagerly, she tried to think up different plan or loopholes, but the sound of Impaz saying, "Oh she looks just like the late Queen! My name was inspired by _her_ nursemaid, did you know that? We're from the same tribe," broke her thought. It was genuine pride in her voice: no sense of bragging was laced in the words, and this made Zelda consider the weight of what she wore now.

It was King Daphnes' way of keeping her out of trouble, detaining her to do this ridiculous task as the "Living Crest of Hyrule". Most were silly, like having her quilt blankets and allowing the aristocracy judge them to be some deep message they weren't; and others were more meaningful, like kissing the heads of infants. She liked doing that, but she didn't like the crying.

This was one of those meaningful things. Zelda was very close to her grandmother, more so to her than her own mother. She was her idol, her role model, her everything, and the princess wished she'd had more time with the woman that taught her all she needed to know. To have her ruby jeweled crown on her head and pink garbs on her person was such an honor. Although she preferred the color of her usual purple bodice, the antiquity of her grandmother's outfit was appreciated.

"Alright, done!" The artist said, moving to stare at the still lost princess. "Princess, I said–"

Impaz placed her hand on his arm, and she shook her head at him.

"I am not having another episode Impaz, please do not worry, I am only thinking." The mellowness of her voice drew a sigh from everyone else.

"Here you are, Your Highness, all done and ready to put in the hall." The painter grinned, motioning her over to see.

"You're a spitting image of her!" Impaz cheered.

Anxiously, Princess Zelda looked, and was surprised by the result. She sat tall and strong, face sober yet tender as she stared at the viewer passively. And up close, in the glint of her acrylic eye, she saw a hint of fire in the form of yellow paint.

"There is a dot of yellow in my eyes." She said matter-of-factly.

"Eh? Oh yes," He scratched his chin, "Your eyes are such a dark blue that you looked like a dead fish with all the shadows in this room. I thought the yellow would lighten it up, but it's just a prick of it, I'm surprised you noticed it."

 _It's because it makes me look different,_ She thought to herself, marveling at how resemblant it made her of her grandmother.

"Next!" The oracles announced obnoxiously.

The throne room was a large place and small noises carried very far, but this did not stop the three lanky banshees from screaming. Zelda sat in the King's chair and cringed as the sound grounded into her eardrum. Lord Harlan was right about one thing, and that was Hylian's uncanny ability to hear. This was one of many tasks she was given from the King that had its bittersweet moments.

Alger, who was just as deaf as the princess, cawed, "You don't have to yell!"

The three dark-garbed women snickered, "We'll stop when you do!"

He rolled his eyes and scoffed at them, and the prophetesses turned to her and snickered, "He's such a brat, isn't he princess?"

Zelda looked at them and blandly said, "He is a courtier, I imagine it's stressful."

The women weren't pleased with the response lacking slander, but they accepted it nonetheless. The oracles were not very old ladies, yet they were still no spring chicken. The reason for them wanting to gossip so juvenilely was beside her. Their presence made her agitated; they were snakes, not leaders of worship, and although they obviously felt Zelda's disdain toward them, they insisted to be close when available. This experience was supposed to be a punishment for her late outbursts, so she assumed she wasn't supposed to enjoy it.

A crowd of a dozen young girls ranging from age eleven to Zelda's own walked up the steps into the stone room nervously. The princess recognized them as the priestesses in training from the temple of Din in the east. All were dressed in long, modest white gowns and gold bracers, the typical uniform for all vestals – a physical representation of humility battling pride to create a powerful soul. One of the girls held a torch in her hand; Din's eternal flame. Their duty was to keep its fire alive, for its light brought sanctuary, and this infant blaze came from the inferno that resided deep within the temple. The attention to tradition made Zelda almost smile.

"Welcome ladies. Please state your name, place of residence, and reason for filing a complaint." Zelda tried to smile to ease them, but it only came out to look like a bothered face.

The oldest girl, a Zora, stepped forward and held her head high. "Greetings, Your majesty, we are the priestesses from the College of Eldin Virgins near Kakariko and would like to inform you of a problem we had a few nights ago."

The princess nodded.

"My sisters and I were holding temple one night when we heard a large bang in the courtyard. We asked the guards to look, but they were rather cowardice in doing so, and in the process we were robbed. Nothing too important was stolen, but sister Batilda was harassed by the thieves who threatened to kill her for being a human," The girl she suspected to be Batilda burst into tears.

"Was she hurt?" Zelda inquired.

"Luckily no, we got to her before anything bad could happen. But we must beg of you, Your Highness, to allow us a more...willing protection." The Zora girl's voice grew sour.

Zelda, a bit unnerved by this development, nodded. "Of course. Not only that, but when available, I will personally go and check on the temple."

The girls looked at one another. "Oh, Your Majesty, we wish not be a burden on you!"

"Nonsense, I need to take a pilgrimage to the temples anyways."

They all looked at each other with such joy that it made Zelda's heart melt, but the oracles spat at the ridiculousness of it all. She could hear them grumble and groan at the girls, Zelda could tell they felt threatened by the very existence of priestesses.

"It would be an honor to have the holder of a piece of Triforce itself visit us! You are such a huge figure, Your Majesty!" The Zora's eyes sparkled.

"Now, you said there were thieves," Zelda started another inquiry that interested her deeply, "Do you happen to have any idea who they were?"

"No, Your Highness."

 _This reeks of Lord Harlan,_ Zelda thought. But she needed more evidence before pointing fingers. "Alright. May the Gods smile upon you," Zelda held her palm out to them.

The girls all bowed their heads, "As with you."

A few seconds after they left, the oracles surrounded the still princess and asked, "You aren't really going to visit those fools, are you?"

Zelda wanted to call _them_ the fools, but instead went for the, "I enjoy temple," response.

Alger smiled at the displeasure on the oracles' faces, and although his love for the king was larger than the moon, he knew these women were his greatest mistakes.

"Alger, please bring in the next citizen," Zelda asked politely, and he smiled at her. This was the only time her and courtier really agreed, and it was that the oracles were a major pain; the look they exchanged said it all.

The head of the trio huffed, "This is boring, I am leaving. Let's go ladies, we have other important matters to attend to," And sauntered away, much to the princess's pleasure. From behind, their massive hoods made them look like a single, walking black mushroom. Zelda pulled her eyes away in time to catch the next person walk up to the center of the room with their head bowed low.

He was a middle-aged man, black hair wild and a fishy odor whiffed off him. Alger's face turned green, the guards in the perimeter shuffled awkwardly in their armor.

"Please state your name, place of residence, and reason for coming." The princess said coolly, holding her breath.

The man tilted his head up slightly to reveal two worried eyes, and she was able to see his hat held tightly in his hands that shook. "I go by the name Dabs – er, I live down by Lake Hylia, and my reason is that me fishing squad as of late have had our catches bein' eaten by these wolves for the past few nights."

Zelda intoned, "I am sorry, that must be terrifying."

"Oh it is, Your Highness, but my main concern is the public. If we don't have any fish to sell, they won't have food to eat." He stood up a little taller.

"That you are very right. I recommend you go to the local blacksmith and purchase you and your men some weapons for protection."

His eyes widened and head shook widely, "Oh no Milady, we can't do that." This was when Alger stepped a little closer to the conversation, quill held in his hand like a dagger ready to strike.

The princess tilted her head, "And why is that?"

"Because they're reserved only for knights and castle guards," Alger explained from the distance, eyes now turned to him, "King's decree as of two moons ago."

Dabs the fisherman stood two feet high now, anxiously staring between the princess and her courtier as their menacing glares battled silently. "And why was it proposed?" She asked calmly, the room felt heavier with tension that could be cut with a knife.

Alger cleared his throat, " ' _The age of the sword has come to an end. We are a civilized and modern nation, the people do not require such primitive murder devices.'_ That's what the King said, thus it is law."

"I see. And how are we to defend ourselves from–" She caught herself before her voice grew any louder, cleared her throat, and began again in a softer tone, "This isn't the time." She looked to the shaking Dabs and held out her gloved hand to him. "Please, come here."

He stared into her unreadable eyes before walking to her with his head cast down. The frail man hesitated to place his dirtied hand on her pristine white glove, but as she tilted her head down, he gently placed it.

Alger scoffed at the scene, turning his beak of a nose upward and turning away in disgust.

"This-," Zelda began as she lowered her hand from his own, creating a bright red orb, "-Is a flask of Din's Flame." A bottle appeared within the orb, attached to a leather string. Zelda grabbed it and held the necklace in her hand, a small flame flickering within its confine. "My grandmother said the Hero of Time himself used this blessing of magic, and with hope that you can use it for defense, I am giving it to you."

"Your Highness, please, I couldn't–"

"It's a part of our people's lost heritage," Zelda interrupted, "Magic is so rare today, but I implore you, take it. Use it on the wolves, and if you simply want to ward them away, tell Din so. She will protect you." The princess placed it in his hand and closed his palm.

The fisherman seemed close to tears as he dropped to his knees in a humbled bow, crying, "Thank you, gracious princess, I will cherish your kindness with all my heart! May the Gods protect you, Princess Zelda!"

She asked him to stand. The princess tilted her head down and said, "May the Gods smile upon you."

"As with you."

And with that, Dabs was escorted from the room, and the princess dropped her head into her hands in a slump. How could the King do such a thing? To take their people's' right to defend themselves against foe, both foreign and in the kingdom? She couldn't say she was surprised the monarchy withheld this development from her; it's the court's favorite game to keep the princess in the dark.

"We have only one left, so make it quick," Alger cooed, "I have to meet the King in a few minutes." He spoke proudly like a hen who had laid her first egg.

Zelda closed her eyes and rubbed her throbbing temples. "You are not required to stay here, Alger," she commented, taking a deep breath.

She imagined he made a perturbed face that was a cross between an angered rooster and hungry vulture. "Then I'll take my leave...Bring them in!"

The princess heard the doors open and threw her head back, face pointed up to the sky and eyes shut, so to mimic prayer while her head throbbed in frustration. A bath would be nice.

"Please state your name, place of residence, and reason for coming." The princess repeated for the hundredth time.

"We've met before, your highness." Zelda's eyes slammed open and heart stopped. With timid unsureness she dropped her hands from her face. Seeking , she saw dirt clad boots and evergreen clothes – her stomach dropped.

"...I'm from the village of Ordon." Her heart began to do laps within her chest at the sight of hair the shade of wet sand after spring showers.

"... It hasn't been that long, has it?" There was a sad hint in the voice smooth like freshly churned butter, and a pair of sapphire blue eyes shined with the warmth, fire, and comfort of the sun. He didn't say much, nor did he have to, she could read his face like an open book – he was afraid she had forgotten about him after all these years and considered turning back.

She could see it, and by the way his face lit up, he knew she understood why he was here. He wanted to ask an old friend a question.

* * *

 **AAAAnd scene! I wonder who the stranger is ;) I just saw the trailer for the Breath of the Wild and I am so pumped for it! I feel it will be my new favorite game when it comes out. Which Zelda game is your favorite? As you can probably tell mine if Twilight Princess, but my second favorite is Wind Waker since it's the game that introduced me to the series!**

 **My lovely beta reader was: SunnyAirisu222, an amazing friend of mine. Thanks hun!**

 **Please R &R and let me know if you want more! I shall update next between the 19th and 28th of February  
**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! I had planned out a really clever and cute message for up top, but I forgot soooooo! Here's my favorite chapter so far, enjoy!**

* * *

He wanted to ask an old friend a question.

"Hero of Twilight..." Was all Zelda managed to say. At one point, she had stood up from her seat, but at the moment she couldn't recall when – all she could think of was the ghost before her.

He hadn't changed a bit; the same radiance fell from him as before, and she felt as if they had stepped back in time. She used to imagine what she would do if she saw him again, planned out each precise word she would use when speaking and the way she'd move with effortless elegance. Yet here she was; wordless, and held the grace of a rock.

He bowed, "Good evening, your highness, I was afraid you forgot about me." There was a doleful truthfulness in the last part of his statement.

"It is a bit difficult to forget the face of the man that saved my kingdom." She said tenderly.

Link laughed, scratching the back of his neck, "Don't sell yourself short, your highness, you did a lot too."

This felt strange to her, like she was caught in a dream – the sorts that involve undergarments and large crowds. He was still as handsome as ever, but his smile could not detract from her memory of him fighting for his life against the darkness. But that's all it was, a memory – and that's what this felt like; could she honestly say she knew who he is now? No, she could only remember who he was, and that wasn't much, either. But she still couldn't shake that gravity between them, pulling her to him with natural simplicity.

"Nice to see you haven't changed, your highness," There was an honesty she wasn't used to. He was watching her closely, obviously noticing the hard pause she took while roaming la-la-land.

"Neither have you, Hero." She bowed her head.

He looked to the side and grinned. She could see he thought the formalities a bit strange after their deep history, the way his brows furrowed like he heard a joke.

She took this reaction sternly and nodded, "Link. I'd agree that informalities would be reasonable by now, so I ask you, refer to me by my name, as well."

He chuckled coyly, "Alright, Princess Zelda." A stiff silence fell between them, her heart still fluttering at the sight of him. How many nights had she dreamt of him coming to save her? How many flashbacks to those rare moments she saw his eyes and felt at ease? This was a dream, a fantasy, this felt too odd to be reality. He wasn't here to save her from some monster; this was business, an inquiry, she needed to rid herself of these childish notions.

Sitting down, she asked, "And what was your reason for coming to Hyrule Castle? I hope Ordon is doing well?"

"Yeah, it is… I came to ask a more personal question." Such a statement made Zelda apprehensive, especially in the way he himself seemed just as nervous to ask her. "Do you remember Ashei and Shad? From the Resistance?"

Zelda tilted her head to the side; she very much did remember the two. Their actions, along with the rest of the Resistance, would make her forever indebted to them. For a brief instance, her mind flashed the images of the day she knighted each and everyone of them, even the flirtatious bar owner, the day after they reclaimed her kingdom. She recalled the way they humbly smiled at her, how they praised her ruling as being that of her grandmother's, and if she hadn't been so reclusive, she would have smiled brightly and gave each of them a proper hug, for no one in her life afterwards would be so kind and accepting. Link was knighted that day as well, she thought, only to cringe at the reminder of how far away her mind was at that time – how stuck it was still in the images of war. If only she hadn't been so distant, he would have stay–

He gasped, taking a concerned step forward, extending out his hand meagerly to ask why she grew silent.

She blushed, "I could never forget the men and women who worked so hard to aid my nation in peril."

"Great!" The Hero reached into one of his many pouches and produced a small letter, simple in both style and decor. She was so used to seeing these scrolls laced and stamped with coat-of-arms made of gold that such modesty was a shock, and gingerly, she went to take it from him. Their fingers brushed for a brief moment and she rushed to hold the letter over her face so he wouldn't see the roses blossom on her cheeks.

"They are...getting married." She said plainly, trying to ignore the chill that ran up her spine when thinking of the word marriage.

Link nodded.

"And I am invited?" Warmth ebbed through her chest before being quickly stilled by a creeping anxiety. Was he inviting her to go as his date, or were the bride and groom?

He must have read her mind, for he said, "I know it's been a while, but I thought it would be a good way to make up for lost time. And Shad thought that having the incarnation of Hylia herself bind him and his wife in matrimony would be more romantic than some stranger." He gave a light little chuckle that reminded her of bells.

Looking back at the paper in her grasp, Zelda thought logically about the proposition at hand. She desperately wanted to go – this had been her dream since returning to the humdrum normalcy of monarchical life after the war, to speak with her hero once more without the fear of death at every corner. But it was a separate fear that kept her down – although tiny in size, its voice was loud and unavoidable. What if she had an episode in front of him? How could she function in a new place when even in the security of her home she struggled? No, that was her father talking, he was getting to her, this was proof she needed to get away! But she didn't have such luxury. According to law, she was bound to the wishes of her king, and the King saw the Hero and those knighted in the Resistance as threats due to paranoia. How would this work?

Even with all these notions and opinions bouncing back and forth against the walls of her mind, crashing and flying every which way in a completely chaotic mess of uncertainty and wariness, she was able to collectively reply, "I will have to consult with King Daphnes first."

There was a flick in his sky blue eyes. Was it a somber shine, or relief, or indifference?! Her anxious mind couldn't tell, and that was what bugged her.

He bowed in a signal of understanding. She clenched her teeth at how formal the encounter became, "I'm gonna be in the city for two more days, feel free to send for me when you have an answer. I'll be staying at Telma's bar." The Hero smiled.

He gave the appropriate farewell and she must have responded, for he left with a kind smile and an emptiness in her heart. She stood there in wonder, and she told the guards she would no longer be taking complaints. Zelda gave a large sigh.

…

"The children were well behaved today." Impaz announced while they trailed behind the escort. Sutter still glanced anxiously from side to side, scanning the halls in fear of the ghosts that haunted the castle. He could have sworn he saw one yesterday.

Zelda smiled to herself, "I am glad they enjoy the stories so much, I know I did at their age."

The old woman laughed, "Seems your spirits have risen princess, I'm happy to see that."

Her eyes widened and body perked up. "I suppose I do feel better than I have in a while." There was a lightness in her chest, a weightless state that gave each step a bounce. Usually she felt so heavy and fat with the negativity that marinated the castle, but now she had a thinness that matched her physique. The tightness in her heart was replaced with an openness like the serene ocean.

"Any reason for the change?" Impaz asked, curling her thin brow at the young woman. Zelda looked at the rigid Sutter and knew his armor clad ears were stilling to listening intently, although probably for something other than women gossip, since his body was stiff and fearful, as if he saw a ghost.

"Possibly, but I suggest we wait until we are secluded, who knows what goblins may be listening in." She responded, referring to monsters of the crowd that roamed the halls like they owned the castle. Sutter whimpered lightly, and the princess felt bad for frightening him somehow with her words. She could have sworn she heard him whisper, "There are monsters too!"

Impaz gave a tiny chuckle as she continued to walk with her arms tucked firmly behind her back. Zelda took the time to really notice her caretaker, the way her eyes had a tiredness about them, and the twinge of her button nose when she was suspicious of someone. Her tan clothes and blue belt brought out the Sheikah red of her irises, and white cotton balls that was her hair. She must've been a cute little girl.

"Here we are, Your Highness." Sutter announced, holding the door for the princess.

She thanked him, and once halfway through the door she turned to face him and smiled underneath her purple scarf. "You seem on edge, Sutter, take a personal few days off."

His mouth opened, "But princess–"

"I insist."

The anxious soldier bowed his head in agreement. Zelda shut the door with a surge of excitement, like a teenage girl ready to gossip with her friends. The princess shed her cloak and ran to her dresser to put away the scarf hastily.

"You won't believe what happened today, Impaz; are the Gods toying with me?" She sighed, throwing her arms up and removing the ribbon from her hair.

"Hopefully something good, haven't seen you this animated before." Impaz began brewing herself tea in the fire.

Princess Zelda twirled gracefully to open her window before leaping into an armchair by the fireplace. She spoke slowly so not to miss a single detail, retelling everything from the temple maidens to the fisherman Dabbs and her father's new decree. She described her rage and anguish, her opinions and fears, until reaching the part she had trouble finding words for. "...Alger left and I had...one more visitor." Zelda took a long pause.

"Well, who was it?" Impaz impatiently asked, dying from the suspense.

"He walked in silently, footsteps no louder than falling pebbles. He looked like a dream, the kinds where you wake up disappointed that reality was your nightmare, and when he said my name, time stopped. He smiled that smile I'd know even if I was blind, you could feel his placidity…" She trailed off in thought.

Impaz smacked her hand softly, "Oh no you don't, you come back here, child! You can't go having an episode on me yet."

"That's just it, Impaz, I didn't! I'd always imagined I would have panicked the moment I saw him again, for all those memories would drown me, but they didn't! I felt comfortable and safe…" Zelda swallowed hard.

"And he was?!" The old woman grew restive.

"The Hero of Twilight...Link." It felt so dirty to say his name, like it was a nakedness she wasn't meant to know him as. But having it fall from her lips left them tasting sweet and she enjoyed the sound of it.

Impaz's eyes grew wide like boulders, and she placed a tiny hand on her chest. "He came here? And without visiting?! Ungrateful boys, don't they know even us grannys like to be charmed?" She laughed to herself, patting the princess's gloved hand, "That's good to hear, child, I knew it would be only a matter of time before the knight returns to his castle for some work."

"But it wasn't for that." Zelda added.

"Then why was he here?"

"That's where I'm conflicted. He had an invitation to the wedding of two members of the Resistance and asked for me to go." She rubbed her hands together. "Whether it is as his date, or just because they want me to hold the ceremony, I'm in the dark… Either way, I'm unsure if I will even go."

Impaz pulled back the cup of tea she began to pass to the princess. "Now why in the world would you say that? I'd think you'd jump to the opportunity."

Zelda took the cup and held it in her lap, her eyes drifting to watching the remains of tea leaves wobble under the water. She spoke deeply, "I'm frightened."

The older woman furrowed a thin brow. "Why would you be frightened of something you've wanted for the last four years?"

"I can't leave the castle..." Her eyes glazed over.

 _"If you leave, your people die." The serpent smirked._

"Why can't you?" Impaz wondered.

Zelda shook her head, "You just wouldn't understand, it's a complicated matter…" She trailed off, trying to purge those unneeded fears from her already-frail mind.

The Sheikah woman must've seen something in her eyes, for she made a noise between a groan and growl before scolding, "Are you really going to let a small moment in your long life dictate every move you make from that point on? Hyrule is safe, there is no danger upon it, no one is going to get hurt if you enjoy yourself for sometime! I understand what you went through was traumatic, and I am sorry you went through it all, but to box yourself in a cage and throw away the key because of what may happen is ridiculous!" A chilly draft entered the room, and they sat there, staring at one another. Zelda took another long sip of her tea and stared into the hot flames of the fire, her expression just as stone-like as ever.

When the cup left her lips, she closed her eyes, and like a politician, she dismissed the whole thing. "I'll think about it."

Impaz sighed, knowing this was the best she could do for the woman at the moment, and pulled up a chair beside her, relaxing in silence beside the fire. It was slow, but progress is progress.

…

Restless nights weren't anything new for her, and a small voice in the back of her head believed that tired bones were better than rampant nightmares no matter how old the night became. She laid in her bed, still as a doll, questioning over and over which decision would be the best in the end, trying to foresee each possible conclusion of each path she could take. I go and something terrible could happen in my leave – my father could pass a new law, she thought, but she knew her presence wouldn't stop any of that and refused to convince herself she had power when she was nothing more than a figurehead. If I don't go, I may never see him again… This was an idea just a little more frightening than the other, but to her anguish, her mind would tear the thought apart to find some hidden possibility to worry about.

A loud groan left her throat as she slammed two fists onto her head. She longed for a clear mind, but minds cleared during sleep, and sleep wasn't very enlightening at the moment.

"You need to go," She said aloud, but just as the words left her cold lips, the memory of Hyrule in ruins invaded her eyes. Covering them, she took steady breaths to calm away the stress crawling up her spine. Breathe in, breathe out.

"Goddesses, help me."

There was a sweet calm, a tranquility washed over her and thoughts fell into a neat, orderly line. Princess Zelda let her hands fall and could feel the satin sheets beneath her, their sleek texture and comfort was her main focus – that was, until the twinkle of bells, that of a baby's rattle, stole her attention.

Sitting up, she saw a small ball of light drift in from an open window as a lost firefly. The gentle fairy flew slowly, as if unaware of its surroundings, and hovered a few inches from the princess's face. Its blue glow was harsh on the princess's eyes, and when she squinted, it flew off, waiting at the door. It turned and danced a bit before returning to face the doorway.

Zelda assumed it was asking her to follow, and she thought back to a story her grandmother would say. About a fairy that could talk like mortals who aided her hero with her sometimes-bothersome call.

"You'd like for me to follow you." She stated.

It twinkled.

When she opened the door, the docile creature left with great haste down the stairs and out into the hallway. Zelda rushed to pursue it, using her grace to try and minimize the sound of her footsteps against hard stone floors. It moved fast, and to Zelda's pleasure, she could still keep up, swift like an alley cat. The fairy avoided any path along the guard's patrol route, leading to a quick and smooth voyage to their destination.

She was surprised when they reached a door guiding to the crisp night air – they stood at the base of the stairs leading to an empty throne room. Princess Zelda took her time to stand at the stone railing and look far below at the vast land beneath her before ascending to the pavilion-like hall of kings. It was breathtakingly beautiful, and she wondered why she hadn't noticed it sooner. Her eyes glided down to the miniscule castle town and pondered where the famous Telma's bar resided in the congregation of buildings.

An angry twinkle caught her attention, and the fairy continued to glide up the stone stairs and into the dark throne room. Zelda followed, and sluggishly stepped into the den of her tribulations. Usually it was just a throne room, a place of decisions both wondrous and destructive, a symbol of utmost power; but now, whether from lack of sleep or rare tranquility she felt sadness drip from the walls.

Moonlight pooled in through open columns, and with the breeze their proud flags danced, but so did her memories. So much history bleed into the stones and she could feel it all. The anguish, the fear, the stress toward the idea that their flags might not have been the ones hung. She looked up at the statue of the goddesses, and just as she had the day before, she noticed the cracks still haunting their once-peaceful faces. She fell to her knees and bowed her head low.

"Please help me…" She whispered first, refusing to see the memory of her world crumbling and hear the cries of innocence. "I have done everything you asked me to without pause – without a complaint," Her voice cracked, "Yet in return, you rub my failures into my face to the point where I can not move, I can not think, and a small voice tells me it is all your fault! Yet I come back needing your guidance to function." Hot tears burned her still stoic face but her mask began to crumble, and her lip quivered, eyebrows furrowed, and a deep misery controlled her muscles as she growled out angrily, " **You never left my grandmother's side, so why leave mine?!** "

The statues remained statues, placid and lifeless.

"Please…" The fairy returned and landed peacefully on her left hand, "Please help me. Give me some sign all this pain is worth something."

Her eyes raised up to the see the fairy fly to the top of the monument. It waited there patiently, and from behind the King's throne a pink fairy arose to meet its blue friend. Both danced around each other in a strange greeting before disappearing into the night.

 _The sun turned to face the unfriendly desert, his shadow enveloping the rose to the point where she grew weak. She hoped to say something, but could find no words strong enough to reach the distance between them. His head turned to the sky, and she hoped he'd speak, but he didn't. He left, and with a stiff upper lip she watched with acceptance._

"I refuse to be a cause and not an effect." Zelda told herself, standing up and nodding to the goddesses in respect.

...

Sneaking past guards in the middle of the night was easy, grabbing the key from the key masters' quarters was child's play; but walking through the castle gates was a challenge by all means.

The princess looked at it closely and gave a deep sigh, her heart racing in anticipation of what reside on the other side. She spent some mornings of her childhood parading through the marketplace with her grandmother, but that was many years ago, many lives ago, and she wondered what kind of changes were made. Her childish side yearned to go and see, but her demons kept commenting on how terrible the idea was.

She put her gloved hand on the rough wood and bit the inside of her cheek. No one would know it's her with her black hood pulled to her eyes – no one would get hurt because the danger was unreal, yet here she was, the princess of chickens.

"Farore, give me courage." She said softly, closing her eyes and forcing the tension to occur between hand and gate. It creaked open in graciousness that it had finally moved, and Zelda slipped her body out and leaned heavily against the door.

She opened her eyes and felt reborn. Lights seemed so much brighter, smells much more rich and tantalizing. She took two steps forward, watching pristine waterfall from the fountain in the center of the square in amazement. It was still, only a few pedestrians stalked the streets from a long day at work, spoils on their back. She'd only met the low and middle class when hearing the woes of the people, and for the first time, she saw the hardset lines of determination on sweat dried brows.

Two more steps; their simplicity was refreshing, they spoke to one another without fear of reprimands or soiled image. They left her sight, but the laughter of children with mothers sparked new interest in the caged-bird princess. Three steps this time, as the mother and son sat by the fountain and tossed rupees in with desire, then raised her hands up to the heavens. She faintly heard the name of Din, possibly their family goddess, and she smiled. It was only until the last prayer did emotion strike her eyes.

"...And pray for our beloved Princess Zelda." The mother reminded her child with a smile.

"...Please keep Princess Zelda happy." The little boy finished with a serious look on his face. The two dropped their hands and left without another word.

Zelda watched, touched and amazed at the same time: it drew her in more. She yearned to know more of her people, learn their names and their dreams. Four steps, five steps, six steps. She stood where the mother and child had, and a warmth filled her from head to toe. A smile tugged at her lips, and a stronger determination filled her soul.

"Hey you!" A loud voice boomed. It was a guard, a tall yet lanky man still drunk on the idea that he was now above all other citizens when he carried his sword and shield. Zelda did not flinch, only stared like a startled deer as he strode over to her. Did he recognize her?

"Sir." She greeted.

"No loitering in the square!" He shouted at her, and Zelda walked away as soon as she could. She followed the south road, but not without looking back at the group of men curiously. Never had she been talked to like that by a guard. A juvenile pleasure of rebellion made her heart quiver, but she continued to walk, although lost.

The South Road was busy with merchants and product, although this late at night, their shacks were barren yet still held the memory of enterprise and community. She slowly glided, sweeping her eyes from side to side to find a clue as to where the tavern would be located. She assumed it would be somewhere hidden or at least out of the public eye, since it once homed the Resistance.

Turning into an alleyway, she saw a wooden sign posted on the side of a small building with the words "Telma's Bar" written prosaically. The princess rushed to the door and pulled it open, tugging her hood farther down as she entered the warm room. It was a large space, simple in design yet homely with its array of handmade pottery and wooden decor. To her surprise, it was empty, save for a few drunks near a fireplace singing songs of simpler times. She felt invisible in this place, and traveled soundlessly to the bar counter where a pair of smart eyes watched her suspiciously.

Princess Zelda remembered the woman from the knighting; she had received a medal of honor that now hung proudly with all the odd knick knacks on the wall. The bar owner Telma crossed her arms over her broad chest with a raised brow. Telma was probably the closest citizen Hyrule had to a Gerudo, and although she was half Hylian, the raw power she possessed showed in the way her stare could make you feel ashamed for crimes you didn't commit.

"We have a policy here regarding suspicious people. I ask that you please remove the hood." Telma advised.

Zelda paused to look back at the men who laughed at nothing in particular.

"Don't worry about them," she swatted, "They're too drunk to remember their name, let alone a stranger."

The princess reached up with ungloved hands, and could see Telma's forest green eyes widen when they saw the tanned triforce marked upon the back of her nimble hand. Zelda removed her hood, feeling naked before the bar owner – no crown, no jewelry, only the messy natural state of a young woman who wandered into a bar in her nightgown.

A smile graced the plump lips of a woman who's seen it all. Telma chuckled, "Well if it isn't the rose of Hyrule herself."

"I would hope that my presence here does not become tomorrow morning's headlines - I'm not allowed to be here at the moment," Zelda pleaded, looking down at the white cat that watched her oddly.

Telma made the face a mother would after hearing her daughter's woes, a comforting expression that flowed forth empathy. "Your secret is safe with me Honey," she said, almost tauntingly, "But I can't not be curious as to why a member of the royal family is skulking around like some thief in the middle of the night."

"I have a message for the Hero of Twilight that couldn't wait till morning, and I highly doubt the King would take kindly to the proposition of me roaming the streets of Hyrule." Zelda declared matter-of-factly.

Telma raised a tan hand. "Say no more. We're all aware of how you're being treated up there hun, no need to convince me what you're doing is right."

The blood left Zelda's face. "What do you mean, what do people know?" What was this feeling, shame? Relief? Did her people think her weak for not standing up to the bullies that owned the throne – how perverted was the gossip they heard?

The large woman shook her head, allowing ruby red strands to flurry around like streaks of anger. She huffed, "Gossip spreads quickly in Hyrule, but the moment your Queenship was revoked, we knew what was fact and what was fiction with those heralds. To have the golden age halted again because of our own King is a disgrace to Hyrule's proud name." Zelda sighed, and Telma leaned to whisper, "The Resistance has loyalties to those who have Hyrule's best interest at heart – don't forget that you have friends." She winked.

Friends? Zelda never thought of that before. Did she have friends? She supposed Impaz counted as a friend, but other than that, she was lacking. This reality struck her as odd – after spending so many years in a world where everyone is against you, she lost an idea on what friendship was. She supposed it didn't really exist in her realm, only allies that changed just like the weather. The princess gave a small smile, her eyes still stoic and unreadable, yet Telma seemed to feel what she meant underneath the permanent mask.

"He's in one of our guest rooms in the back. Knock first though, he went to bed not too long ago." The woman returned to cleaning glasses, and just as Zelda walked away, the drunks sang too loud, and she threw the cup at them, commanding them to stay quiet.

The princess made a note to not irk the woman.

She crossed a room that held a round wooden table, and she assumed this is where the battle plans for the Resistance were born. _What a piece of history_ , Zelda thought to herself, running her fingers along its surface. She saw the guest bedroom alongside the back wall and prayed for courage from Farore; just standing in front of the door, too nervous to actually knock.

This was the point of no return, this was how she would prove to herself that she was strong enough to lead a country. _You won't, though, that power will go to your betrothed._ Damn those thoughts that sneak in and pierce her heart! Th _is is my last chance to be with him – My last chance at a sliver of freedom_ , she combated her mind, and with resolve she rasped her pearl knuckles against the door only to have it glide open a crack.

 _He must not have closed the door probably,_ Zelda thought. The room was too dark to see much, just that items shattered the floor like most boys' rooms. She questioned whether or not she should just enter anyways; would that be an invasion of his personal space? His featherly breathing could be heard within, gentle and relaxed. It was hypnotic and soothing, but she couldn't just enter uninvited?

Link stirred in his sleep, and in a breathy sigh he mumbled, "Princess...Zelda…"

Her face reddened. Was he dreaming, of her? She peeked in a little farther and saw him resting in a bed, his tunic still on and ruffled from sleep. His blanket was hanging lazily from his body, and she could see how he shivered from the frigid night air. Zelda entered his room timidly, planning only to put the blanket back on him properly and then leave to try again tomorrow morning. She opened the door wider, light pooling into the room in a flood of soft candle glow. She could see all his belongings, his quiver of arrows and boomerang. She was surprised he still carried these things, especially his Hylian shield.

"Princess...Zelda…" He whimpered again, almost as if in pain.

Why did she cause him pain? _You're thinking too much into this, hurry up and go_ , she scolded herself once more. She grabbed the falling blanket and pulled it up to his chest, sitting down beside him to better tuck him in. She smiled when his breathing slowed and face pinkened with warmth.

She looked up to his bedside cabinet and saw a plate and utensils, but behind it was a pictograph of the Ordon children smiling just after her escort team brought them home from Kakariko. Zelda smiled at the simplicity of it all, then frowned. She should have joined them in the move that day.

Her face lowered, and she saw in its sheath a basic Ordonian blade. She expected the Master Sword to still be in his possession, but what would a rancher do with Evil's bane? She could understand his reasoning but still felt cheated, as if he wanted to forget everything that occurred those many years ago.

"Zelda…" He sighed.

She looked down, but he was still fast asleep. Her hand reached up to brush loose hair from his face. His forehead began to perspire and skin grew clammy beneath her. Concern welled up inside her as his eyes squinted hard and breathing labored. "Zelda…"

She didn't know what to do, so she leaned in to whisper, "It's alright, I'm–"

"Midna!" He cried out.

Zelda sat upright and just stared, mouth agape and chest feeling cold. He continued to struggle within the nightmare and say her name between sharp breaths. "Midna...Midna!"

 _This was a terrible idea._ Just as Zelda stood up, Link jolted into a sitting position, hand clamping itself aggressively onto her wrist. Within the same instant, although she couldn't recall how or why, she drew Link's sword with great speed and lay it alongside his neck. Time stopped, frantic sapphire eyes stared into her cloudy ones, her mind lost and face slack with indifference as the blade pierced the pillow behind him, the edge a mere breath from his neck.

Link was the first to come to, escaping the nightmare he released her wrist, but she just stood there. It took an extra second for her to be released from her trance, to stop envisioning the mask of a shadow beast and instead see the shock and horror in Link's oceanic eyes. She dropped the sword with a clang and stepped back, holding her hand like it was not her own.

"Princess Zelda?"

"I-I'm so very sorry–" She began to babble.

He jumped out of bed and held his hands out to her in apology. "No it's my fault." His eyes hurt for eliciting this reaction out of her, but his face showed his confusion toward why it happened.

Zelda was frightened by what her hands had done without her approval. It was like she was lost in a time she hated to remember, just muscles reacting to those moments where survival was key. It reminded her why should couldn't fence anymore, she nearly lost control.

She shook her head and bawled her fists. "I apologize for my actions, I don't know what came over me...I had a message for you, but now I believe I should've waited till morning."

Link nodded for her to continue.

"I thought over your proposition and I would like to accept it." Her stare grew businesslike as she calmed.

The hero beamed, "Great!"

Her face reddened – she could tell he agreed she could've waited till the morning to give this news.

He saw her embarrassment and gave a startled "Oh!" at her reaction, hands coming up again as if to awkwardly console her.

Zelda raised her hand, "I know this was a foolish idea, and I appreciate your concern Hero but I am fine."

He smirked, "I know… Hey, the streets are dangerous at night, so I hope you know that I'm obliged to walk you back to the castle now."

"Oh no, that isn't necessary, I can handle my own, I've already caused enough trouble–"

He gave a smile that said he had another motive. "We didn't have time to catch up, now's a perfect time."

She pulled on her cloak and hesitantly nodded. "Alright then."

She led the way out of the room, Link close behind as they walked out into the bar. Telma looked at them and grinned.

"You walking her home?" She asked.

Link waved farewell to her kindly.

Just as they were about to leave, Telma's expression turned sour as she counted the dishes she had stacked. She gave Link a dirty stare that made the hairs on Zelda's neck stand on point. "Boy, did you leave your dirty dishes on your dresser after I told you not to?!"

His brows grew troubled as he took the verbal lashings she gave him without complaint, wincing as she continued to yell at him.

His crooked grin and slumped shoulders like a guilty child said it all; this was going to take a while.

...

Eventually the shouting subsided, and the two left the bar thankfully. The princess wore her hood again, face shrouded in shadow once more. The hero took a long, hard glance at her with it on, curious from what she could see. She stopped walking and asked, "What is it?"

He gave a low gasp and looked away. "That's the same cloak you wore when we met, wasn't it?"

 _He remembered._ "Yes it is, I recieved it as a gift on my fourteenth birthday from a world renowned seamstress."

Link gave a short chuckle. He thought it funny for a princess to receive a cloak on her birthday, perhaps he believed the rumors they bathed in gold.

"What, are you surprised a princess could cherish something as mundane as a piece of clothing?" She hoped her voice reflected the teasing twinkle she wished to achieve.

He kept smiling, rounding the corner to a road she didn't know.

"The castle is north, not west." She informed, but he only stopped to point at an odd little house.

"The Queen of Bugs lives here," Link opened his hand out to the delicate butterfly that flew out the window to perch on his palm. "Her name's Agitha." He reached to take Zelda's hand and she blushed as he moved the butterfly to rest on her index finger. His face twisted; he didn't mean for this stop to sound strange, but she was too fixated on the vibrant colors of the creature's wings to mind. It moved its large wings slowly, and before she could truly enjoy its presence, it flew away, leaving her disappointed and a bit jealous.

"They trust you, don't they?" Zelda smiled.

He shrugged his shoulders and continued to walk. "I used to catch them for the kid that lives here, she kept talking about a Bug Ball she wanted."

The princess looked up into the open window and could see the drawings of a whimsical girl hanging on the wall. She thought one looked like him, but most of them were bugs in top hats. "I am sure she is an excellent bug Queen."

This caused him to look at her uncomfortably yet yearning. He had a question, a personal one that would make her wince at the thought of it, she could tell by the way his brows twisted upward and mouth hung open slightly. She already knew what it was.

"Yes?" She asked, bracing herself.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't want to sound rude, it's just... news doesn't usually travel to Ordon, but I thought you were being coronated to be Queen a few years ago, and I'm curious...What happened?"

Zelda had prepared herself for the cold blow that washed over her, shame rising up her throat and making her face cold and unfriendly. She swallowed back her pity, she needed to face this fact of her existence, and she responded. "I was, correct. On the day of the Twili Invasion, in fact. I had reached the appropriate age set forth by the Queen before me, for my Grandmother did not feel my father morally able to handle the crown. At the time, the council was run by the people she could trust most, but when the Twili attacked, they were either killed in the crossfire or refused to return to their positions. When my father returned to see Hyrule picking itself up from the damage, he rushed to form his own council consisting of his own personal court and took advantage of their emotion to turn them against me. It became my fault in their eyes, as if I was the one who crumbled buildings and slaughtered soldiers left and right...They revoked my birthright until they deem me mentally fit to rule, but their corruption and hunger has put me in a standstill...That is why I am not Queen."

Link's eyes flared, "That's no fair! You did better than they ever could!"

The fire of his rage made her feel warm inside. "I appreciate your passion, but it's alright," she lied, walking toward the castle again only to have Link run in front of her, face hard with determination.

"If it means anything, my loyalty belongs to the true crown." He said, eyes unblinking as they told her she was his Queen, his Country, and no matter her status she held in court, she was the only Monarch of Hyrule. She did have trouble deciphering what emotion was linked to this; her heart wanted to say there was romantic undertones but her mind knew that was only wishful thinking. He was a knight, and she was royalty, two platonic pieces that keep the machine running.

"Yes, Telma said the same thing. It's pleasing to hear the people understand my predicament and not think me useless," She blinked, "Shouldn't we carry on?"

Link seemed pleased that he got his message across, and happily continued to lead the way. They passed an odd shaped tent and rounded the corner where the herd of Ordon goats eeped. He stole a glance at her, and she could see he was showing her the sights he considered dear. Special places he must have visited during his quest to bring forth comfort.

"I must ask, how did you return to normal life after what happened?" What she really wanted to know was why he never visited for four years, but refused to sound harsh.

He looked up at the stars and twisted his mouth in thought. The street lamp lights made a bright spark on his eyes, and the light blue of his irises gave the illusion of the morning sky and sun. "I traveled a lot at first," he responded, "But I also spent a lot of time at home to collect myself." She wanted a better idea but knew he was a man of few words. They passed by a small cafe that catered to the night owl and youth of the city. It had a few occupants too lost within their own dreams to pay mind to notice the two were not of their breed.

A traditional part of Zelda didn't like the idea of dancing and eating so late at night, but Link appeared to not be bothered by the prospect of late night privacy. He looked at an empty table with its pink table cloth and periwinkle parasoul and back at her with an inviting twinkle.

"Oh no, I couldn't," She stuttered, playing with the unwrapped strand of ash brown ash.

"You sure?" He questioned, giving her a second chance she regrettably didn't take. "Alright then, but another day you're eating here with me. This place is too good to miss."

She nodded, "I'll hold you to that, Hero."

He laughed, "It's a date then," And kept walking, but Zelda's feet grew frozen as her mind torn into each syllable. It is just a saying Zelda, don't look into it too much, she warned, stilling her racing heart.

To her surprise, the next spot in his tour was a door not too far from the cafe. It was prodigious, and looked like the entrance to the home of a great merchant family which caused confusion to draw on Zelda when Link opened the door as if it was his own. She quickly jogged over to him as he entered the home, surprised to see it cold and empty.

He walked in casually, and the princess saw a note lay patiently on the floor.

 _"Brother, went to Death Mountain to resupply. Thanks for visiting!_ " read the note in rocky penmanship. Whose ever home it was was his friend, and this brought her comfort.

Link tilted his head to the stairs and she followed them up like a chick to their mother. She wondered what he was wanting to show her.

They eventually made it to another hallway and smaller set of stairs – the princess wondered what this kingdom's fascination with elevation was, from all the stairs she's seen in the town. This staircase; however, led to an open observation deck beneath the stars, and she trailed Link to rest against the alabaster balcony rail. Her hands rested on the cold barrier as her eyes widened to take in every inch of the landscape before her. From this point alone she could see almost all of Castle Town, and in the center of it all was the towering image of her home. The castle was a titan from this view, and if she peered hard enough she could see inside the window of her room. Her heart ached with a strange feeling – perhaps the scenery was painfully beautiful, or maybe the thought that after all the years spent looking down and seeing nothing, someone was probably looking up and saw her, that her kingdom wasn't miniscule and frail but tall and sturdy like the castle.

"It's beautiful," She commented, counting the stars that lit the dark sky.

Link leaned forward. "I used to come up here a lot and look at the castle in between quests."

She faced him and turned her head slightly. "You would? But why?"

He smiled, eyes drifting away. "At first it was because I needed answers; why I was chosen, what do I do, how can I do this. I used to think you'd come out and tell me something like some...fairytale… And when you saved Midna and the castle got locked down without warning… Then I'd come because we were concerned. Midna and I wanted to see if the barrier would let up – and when it didn't, she was afraid of what they'd done to your body, and that made me scared too. You stopped becoming just some monarch that wanted control back the moment you gave your life for Midna. When you saved her, I knew you were something special; I believed in the myth that you were Hylia reborn and that oddly enough made you seem more human than ever before."

Zelda didn't understand what she felt.

"Do you miss her?" She asked without thinking, mind drifting the image of her sad smile before she disappeared.

 _"I…See you later…"_

"Yes. Midna and I… We went through a lot together," He responded quickly with blunt words, " Do you?"

Zelda gave a glum chuckle. "I don't seem to go a day without thinking about her… I know she hated me at first, but we learned we weren't too different, her and I… We both made mistakes for our homes thinking it was the only option, and we both saved them with your help," She looked into his soft eyes, "She was the closest friend I've ever known, and no matter how many times the court pushes the fact that I allowed myself to become possessed by the Gerudo King, I shall never regret saving her life for you."

Her gut twisted horribly, like she told an awful lie. She'd loved Midna like a sister, but this small jealous voice kept creeping into her mind and would only disappear when talking about their journey.

Link laughed to lighten the mood. "Hey, she probably misses us a lot too!"

She smiled, and turned to stare out at the castle again, feeling his stare as he watched her in wonder. She could see he was asking whether or not she enjoyed this session, hoping he hadn't made her too uncomfortable with talk of an equally uncomfortable time.

"I did enjoy tonight Hero, thank you for showing me the beautiful sights."

He beamed in thanks. He seemed happy enough showing her around, but understood she grew tired as the night carried on. There was a tranquil calmness as they left the building, like the feeling one gets after listening to light rainfall. She no longer trailed behind him, but walked by his side and asked questions now and then of his travels.

"Where did you go after the Twili Wars ended?" She asked again with no fear.

He sighed. "Nowhere really. I traveled around the kingdom a bit but eventually just went home. I was invited to give a seminar on survival to the Hylian guards once a year though."

Her mouth opened and eyes hurt. "You've been in Castle Town before?"

"You didn't know?"

She shook her head, "The King never tells me anything, of course. No use complaining about it now though, seeing how we'll be spending three days together." Her heart ached at the idea of lost opportunities.

Link laughed happily, visibly glad that she decided to go. As they passed the fountain he threw in a rupee, and Zelda pondered on what exactly he could have wished for. When he caught her puzzled stare he just grinned gaily.

...

"Thank you for returning me to the castle, Hero." Zelda stood at the wooden gates, hand placed limply on it. She didn't really want to leave just yet.

Link bowed "Sleep well, princess."

And with that, he left, and Zelda mindlessly watched him. She truly despised farewells, but she understood that they were necessary, no matter how awful they felt. Stepping back inside, the walls of the castle, she heard a heavy thud. It was the wooden lock sliding into place, enclosing her in the courtyard of a Janus-faced castle she once called home. She took sulking steps to the front door until face-to-face with metal. With a lead heart, she pushed open its colossal door, and was surprised to find a teensy woman with a titan's rage standing inside with arms crossed.

"Princess Zelda, how good of you to join us." said a seething Impaz.

* * *

 **I was meaning to do this last chapter but I am a dunce and forget things, but I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or followed my story! This thanks goes to : nintendoer27 , mahteuss223, SmileyXs Ice-Cream Sprinkles, VainGlory0, SunnyAirisu222, sauceadmiral , Just-AWESOME-old-me , Afiana Arch, Batch03, Blitz the Hedgehog, HeartlessAngel96, Hylian Cup Champion, KuramaFTW, Sleyyer, dreamforeverwithstories, AltairHunter, Flokita, Guillotine3, , Lord Draxus Hellborne, Miss Insanity 12, Shadows from Twilight, hornofisolation, and a few guests here and there :)**

 **I am enjoying this project very much, and your support means a lot. Just two more chapters left of world building I promise, but don't think that just because I am setting up the scene for the real conflict that the info in these chapters are filler. ;) Everything has a reason.**

 **Thank you again for reading! And if you like it so far why don't you leave a little review? Or not, that's fine, I love you anyways. See you next month between the 25 and 31 of March.**

 **See ya!**


	5. Chapter 4

***Looks around* Nope, still don't own Breath of the Wild, still dead inside :') HOWEVER, I did get my boyfriend to do a play-through of Twilight Princess with me and so far his reactions are HILARIOUS! Reminds me when I was a kid playing it, and he says he really likes how fluid the characters motions are. He's only just started looking for the Tears of Light in Faron Woods, and he thinks Midna is a bossy little creep that he'll never like. You say that now dear, but she'll grow on you ;) Who was your guys' favorite companion? Mine was Midna for sure!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _I wish to mark, by this personal message, a proposition regarding an event asking for the presence of the royal crown…_

Zelda lifted her quill from the parchment and bit her lip, taking a breath before returning the tip to paper.

 _...a proposition regarding an event **requiring** the presence of **a member** of the royal crown to aid relations within the kingdom of Hyrule._

The sober princess stared down at her meticulously drawn print and felt displeased.

"I do not know why I am even writing a letter to him, he never reads them." She griped, rolling the paper and setting it to the side, burying her face in her hands.

"Maybe he only reads letters from princesses that don't sneak off in the middle of the night." Impaz cast a shady look to the young woman and placed her small arms behind her back, feigning an elderly innocence.

Zelda made no change in expression, only turned to face the woman and honestly sigh, "I apologize again, Impaz, I should have told you, but my passion blinded rational thought."

Impaz grinned, "Should have expected it, what with boys and girls being what they are." The statement felt two-sided, and before she could imply what it meant, the raisin of a woman had begun to stride toward the door. "If you're still feeling brave," she pulled at the handle, "I think you should force an audience with the King instead of waiting."

The idea made her uncomfortable. The wounds from her last 'burst into the King's special moments with the court' did not end as planned – that whole circus had a final act that led to her embarrassment and shame. Her arms became cold and she rubbed them, unsure if these momentary bursts of confidence would come through this time.

"I do not–," she remembered how badly she longed to be a cause and not an effect, "...I suppose the only way he listens to me is when I start up trouble."

The statement wasn't meant to be funny but stirred up laughter anyways. Impaz expected a long period of thought where she weighed the options. However, the Hylian woman jumped up out of her seat and walked in a stern stride. Her nose touched the clouds as she bulldozed through her doors and down stairs. Focus was key in these moments – thoughts needed to stay glued on her goal before they trailed away and bare doubt. The halls were wide and lonely, but to her they felt constricting and loud with the voices telling her to go back. Guards tried to stop her, but she just kept walking, mind too dedicated to the mess she planned to make, heart thumping so loud she was deaf to their cries.

Her limbs felt weak, and the tingling in her fingertips is what caused her to realize the barrier weakly forming around her. Force of habit, she supposed, but her magic felt weaker, more infant recently. She assumed it was from fatigue, but the thought of being tired drew the idea of giving up on what she wanted.

"No." Was all she had to say to herself and she pushed forward. The ballroom came into view, and she could already picture the King in his red canopy watching his sheep pretend to be steeds. The adrenaline was what opened those doors, that pulled up the chair and caused her to rest so defiantly in front of the king. The music came to a sharp halt, dancers stopped gamboling, and silence became the partner of the crowd. No one dare sit before the king without a bow or during an event other than supper. Zelda just sat, back straight and legs crossed under her gown, solemn in expression.

King Daphnes leaned forward, veins probing out from his forehead. "Princess Zelda? What has gotten into you?!" He roared, nearly spilling the wine in his cup.

"If you refuse to call a formal meeting between King and Princess, then I request one between father and daughter," she announced.

"This is the last time you go against your curfew– guards!" With a wave of her arm, the steel doors shut.

"I haven't had an episode today, did you know that? My mind feels clear and ready to properly convey my thoughts without emotion blurring the lines. Has your pride cleared enough to hear what your own child has to say?" She implored, body still unwavering.

The King, clearly unimpressed by her antics, grumbled back and glared at her beneath bushy brows. The crowd looked up to him as if he was a God preparing to speak from his perch in the heavens. She measured his face, the way his lips curled into a snarl when their eyes met. He was going to humor her so that she left him alone, perfect. "You have five minutes."

She bowed her head, and when she peered up, there was a fire beneath the sea of her eyes. "You fear me because you think I'm going to take your crown – that I am trying to overthrow you," someone in the crowd gave an unnecessary chuckle, "...I've had many opportunities to ruin you and this regime. I am a treasure of the people – but because of that, I refuse to use their support for my own personal gain. I love this kingdom, and it's too frail for a civil war, not after how many sons it's lost already."

His knuckles threatened to rip out of his flesh. "Your point?" He growled behind clenched teeth.

"I deserve a day of my own. Three days, at least without being played like a puppet by you. I have been invited to attend a wedding in Ordon village by old friends–"

"You don't have any friends." He interrupted spitefully.

She paused. "...Then, old acquaintances that are more than willing to fight for me if they discovered how mistreated I am here that, in turn, led to my inability to attend their own wedding – do you see where I am going with this? If I am to be forced to relinquish my rights of free-will to be married to the prince of Neighsdon with no more conflict, then I request a measly few days where I can feel normal!"

He looked down at her with a raised brow, picking at his beard. Her heart ached, but she refused to turn away. She saw a breach in his wall, she was actually doing it!

"Just three days…" She whispered unknowingly.

The king downed a large gulp of his drink – apparently he needed to be drunk to answer anything anymore. With a bored tone, he responded, "Fine. You may attend this wedding in Ordon in the name of the royal family," a herald appeared from beside his canopy, "And let the people know I have made the decision to strengthen relations between the capital and the kingdom's main food-and-hide resource!" He continued to boaster about his greatness and how this was his plan to better the kingdom. Zelda should have felt mad that he had begun to use her wishes for face value, but after so long, only a jaded feeling overcame her. When his arm was tired from patting his own back, the herald was free to spew his lies to the masses; he smirked at the princess. "However," she froze, "Alger and the soldiers I pick are required to escort and attend with you."

 _Don't let him read you_ , she thought, stopping herself from jumping out of her seat. "That's not what–"

"If what you said is true, that the Resistance could turn against me with your word and are attending the same event, then I want eyes and ears I can trust. If I give this to you, I'd rather you not go back on your deal princess." His smile looked almost sinister, like he wanted her to make the mistake of attempting to cross him.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Fair enough."

The King erupted into a sick laughter, and his minions broke into igneous fits of giggling alongside him. Zelda cast a glance without turning to her head to see heavy, shadowed eyes glare in her direction and overdrawn lips quiver at a joke they didn't understand. "I can't believe I am witnessing the princess finally giving up her futile attempts at changing her fate. We should celebrate! More wine!" Daphnes raised his cup in the air.

The crowd vomited in cheer, and Zelda slowly stood from her chair, bowed, and headed back for her room. She took steady breaths, and thought to herself:

 _I am far from giving up._

 _..._

"Have fun on your trip, Your Highness!" The eldest of the children waved as he herded the others out of the study. Zelda watched them with a faint smile; two of the children were pretending to race on their imaginary birds like the people in her story, and to see the youth connect so effortlessly to their culture added to her newfound bliss.

Impaz appeared at her side, hands behind her back with a content expression. "I had no idea the wings of the Hylian seal were based on those birds, uh, Loftwings was it?"

"That is what grandmother told me," Zelda stood up, stretched her back, and pulled open the curtains. Last night she was blessed with a dreamless sleep, and as weak sunlight pooled into the room, she could finally feel its warmth on her cold skin. She decided to tell her stories in the early morning today, as the children arrived to work with their parents. Butterflies bothered her, anyways, children were an easy distraction from her anticipation for this afternoon.

The sky was in pink flames, the sun peeking timidly over the evergreen mountains. Looking down at the castle stables, she saw five soldiers at attention with the captain standing over them. They were being briefed on their new mission, and although they wouldn't be doing much, their knees still quievered. Sutter was amongst them, she was saddened that her father hadn't allowed him his vacation.

"Hyrule's best." She accidentally said out loud with sarcasm.

"Your bags have been packed princess, your ceremony clothes and everything," There was a sharp clattering, the princess rushed to see if Impaz was okay and was surprised to see she had pulled a sword from its glass holder. "However, I recommend you bring this with you."

The blade was always long, but in Impaz's small hands it looked to be able to line the horizon. The strong estoc, thin and elegant like its master, glistened beautifully under the sun's rays like a fire's glow. And that was what it created within her, the memory of the flames that it cut through as she defended herself with that sword, and that frightened her.

"Impaz, I couldn't–"

"Nonsense," She stepped forward, "This is your sword."

The princess shook her head and stepped back. "You do not understand, I simply can't–"

Impaz stepped forward, unwilling to let her wiggle her way out of this. "This sword is as much a part of you as your arm."

The back of her neck chilled up, she was drowning in air. "...Bad things happen when I hold that sword." No, she refused to have an episode, no more of seeing those memories.

Impaz thrusted it out farther. "You haven't touched it in four years, how do you know?"

She just did, her body could feel it. The moment her fingers touched its steel, the halls would erupt into flames and monsters would pillage the kingdom!

"Take it," the small woman pleaded, "for me."

Princess Zelda glanced up into the drooping ruby eyes of a good friend holding genuine concern. Impaz did this not out of spite, but to try and help her overcome the pains and stress of a time long gone. She tried not to break this hard stare as she gingerly took the sword from her hands. The moment her gloved palm met the cold steel she tensed, closing her eyes as she stilled her breath. Her right hand unknowingly wrapped itself around the hard purple grip. She panicked when she remembered how her body almost took the hero's life and rushed to slam her eyes open.

Impaz was smiling sadly at her, and she raised the blade up in front of her, and peered at her small reflection within it. She looked tired, but still herself. She was still in control.

"Grandmother gave me this blade on my sixth birthday," She touched the beautifully etched metal of the crossguard, "Of course I could not use it at the time, and sadly she never got to observe my journey of training...I spent almost all my youth and teenage years practicing with this blade."

Impaz shrugged, "I'll let you make the decision, but hurry, the Hero should be arriving within the next hour or so."

...

"Princess Zelda, the rancher boy is here. " Alger announced in mild distaste as his eyes scanned the room.

Princess Zelda rose from her chair and nodded, looking to Impaz thoughtfully. The old woman pulled at her skirts so to command the girl to get into a kneel, and once eye-to-eye, she wiggled a bony finger and said, "You are going to have a wonderful time, you hear? Enjoy yourself and no more worrying!"

Alger scoffed, motioning the handmaids to finish preparing the princess for her departure so he didn't have to. Zelda formed a small mouthed smile and sandwiched Impaz's hand within her own in the only intimacy she knew how to give, and thanked her. Slowly the princess rose and followed the handmaids down to the courtyard, and she quickly caught a mob of stares. It had been so long since she had left the castle walls – Castle Town, to be exact.

"It's an honor to be serving you, Your Highness," One of the handmaids whispered over her shoulder, "I know you specifically refused to have personal handmaidens around you, but I promise we are good company."

"I have nothing against my ladies-in-waiting, it was just personal preference to spend my upbringing training rather than demeaning childishness which plague most potential matriarchs." Zelda said matter-of-factly.

The handmaid swooned, obviously not listening to the princess, "Imagine, we might meet handsome men ready to sweep us off our feet!"

Zelda, figuring the woman wasn't paying attention to a word she had to say, stayed silent until they reached her party. There was a large, decorated carriage with its door opened invitingly, two guards standing at attention on each side. Alger and King Daphnes stood, leering at her and then the coach, silently commanding her to get in.

It was after she caught their message that a loud neigh pulled her attention to the other side of the yard, where a large red taffy Belgian draft horse shook her mane to be consoled by her rider. Zelda stopped and watched as Link soothed the creature, the way he petted her tenderly and with care. Their relationship was fascinating; you could see each member cared deeply for one another, and when Link turned and looked at Zelda with that same regard, her face grew warm. Honestly, she wasn't sure if he would follow through or not, and seeing him again lifted the storm from over her head.

"Good morning Princess," He greeted, "Should we get going?"

"Of course," she agreed, starting to walk toward the carriage.

"Hey!" He called, and when she turned to face him, he scratched the back of his neck in minor embarrassment at his burst. "Would you like to ride with us?" He asked, motioning back to his steed; his grin gave the impression that he remembered the last time she rode with him they were fighting the King of Darkness himself, and he wanted to try it again under less dire circumstances.

Zelda gave a small smile. "Her name is Epona, correct?"

Link nodded.

She glanced back at King Daphnes who eyed her harshly. She never agreed to ride in the carriage with his men, only to have them be in her party.

"I would be honored, Hero."

Link grinned and led Zelda over to the saddle, helping her onto the mare. The moment his hand touched her waist, heat waved throughout her, and Alger gave a sound of disbelief that a rancher boy's hands _dare_ touch a princess. _He's technically a knight still, Alger,_ Zelda retorted to herself. Link didn't seem to acknowledge the taboo he had committed, and mounted Epona as well.

"I promise not to shoot arrows from up here this time, Epona." Zelda said to the horse that looked back at her and whinnied at what she imagined to be approval. With the handmaids now in the carriage and guards nestled nearby, they began their journey to Ordon.

With one hand on the reins, Link started Epona in a quick canter to gain the lead before returning to a smooth walk, and when Epona jolted into movement, Zelda went to wrap her arms around the Hero for stabilization. Her face was nuzzled into the back of his tunic, and in realizing, she quickly turned her head to the side. _He smells like fresh cut grass_ , She smiled to herself.

...

From her tower, the fields of Hyrule looked like a lonely haze of green interrupted by the occasional fluff of a bush; but being in the midst of it gave new perspective. It was vast, yes, but still teeming with life if you cared to see it.

"It is beautiful, " Zelda awed at a flock of vibrant little birds perched within an evergreen tree. Link made a sound of agreement.

Following the traveler's path, they passed many pools that quenched the thirst of the wildlife – to think that four years ago when the grass was engulfed in flames and dew made from blood, she never believed the fields would hold life once more. The haunting memory unsettled her, and she nuzzled her face into the back of Link's tunic to shut it away. He made a noise of concern, looking back at her and Epona neighing loudly.

He paused. "I'm glad you decided to come." There was the genuineness that made her leap, that real wanting for her presence. He regretted his decision to leave after the war, he held this weight of what-ifs with him and she could feel it. This was his opportunity to right his wrong; that was what his tone told her.

"I would not have missed it for the world." She responded, soon reddening at the words that came from her mouth. They weren't meant to be heard by any mortal ears.

But she felt him smile, and that made her embarrassment worth it. Looking back, she saw the carriage follow lazily behind, the coachman being distracted by the loudmouth guards drawing up a farce about some marvelous journey that never happened. Sutter called them out on it to her surprise, yet they ridiculed him for believing ghosts resided in the castle. She thought the implication odd.

The hero made a sound to get her attention, and when she turned to him, he grinned, "There's someone I want you meet."

A lover? His child? Who could this mystery person be? The endless possibilities threw her around like a rag doll within her mind. She felt bullied by the ideas that clouded her head. Maybe he had a wife he wanted to introduce her to. No, you don't invite a woman as your date if you have a wife. But what if she was going to be used to make his wife jealous, maybe she was a tool! Why would he be so happy about introducing them then? This raging battle erupted within her mind, but all she did to show it was say, "I see."

He radiated a youthful eagerness and enthusiasm; while she was a concentrated feeling of unquiet trepidation.

They arrived to a shroud of timeless evergreen trees that proudly stood guard at the entrance of the Faron Woods, and Link called to the party to announce their soon-to-be arrival. It had taken them half a day to travel the long stretch of the valley, the sun now preparing to fall into slumber. As they moved into the area, Zelda looked up as the last golden rays of sun rained down through the small openings between leaves to coat the ground in a gentle glow. There was no silence, only the loud songs of mockingbirds and sparrows biding their friends farewell. _Everything must come to an end_ , Zelda thought, as she marveled at the sorrowful beauty that was twilight.

"Have you been here before?" Link asked the princess.

She looked down in thought. "I do not believe so. If I had, it was as child, but I believe Ordon was established only as a colony and not a legitimate village at the time."

He gave her a look that assured that she would love it there, and as Epona trotted them near the Faron Spring with its lovely greenery and soothing sounds, she truly believed him. They eventually reached a long and questionably-stable rope bridge that connected the village to the mainland. Zelda eyed it curiously, but Link showed no sign of discomfort at the idea of moving the large and heavy carriage across it. The guards were the first to voice their concern, each staring down at the long drop to the raging waters below.

"Is this safe?" One asked, his knees buckling beneath him.

The elvish boy stared at him with a face that implied he did understand why the soldier thought it _unsafe_ to cross.

Alger was the next to speak up, exiting the carriage and scanning the horizon like a vulture. One glance at the carriage, then the narrow connector, and back at the coachman, Alger nodded his head. "May the Gods be my witness, I am not riding this thing over that death trap."

Link, appearing to be slightly offended by the notion that they didn't trust his village's bridge, made a sour face. He prepared to make a rebuttal to their slander, and Zelda would have let him, had it not been for her yearning to discover who this mystery girl was. She interjected with a, "That sounds like an issue between you and the Gods then," and leaning forward, she took the reins whilst pressing her feet into the creature's side, lunging it into a quick canter.

The Hero gasped at the unexpected turn of events, taking the reins from the princess and guiding the confused horse forward and across the rigidity bridge. Zelda looked back at her courtier visibly indignant by her childish antics, and she felt victorious. The adrenaline, the wind in her hair, it was sheer euphoria.

"Whoa." Link soothed the equestrian beauty into a calm trot before turning into a walk. Epona made a noise of disapproval, looking back at the princess in an expression she believed was a warning.

"Apologies," Zelda muttered, now feeling rueful by her actions.

Link laughed. "If you wanted to leave so badly, you could have just given me a signal." He was making light of the situation, she knew that he understood how badly she'd be in trouble.

"I interrupted the partnership between rider and horse, I apologise," She looked around the new path they traveled, still a mess of green, but the deeper they rode, the more clearly she saw the entrance of Ordon.

Another sound of contentedness escaped the Hero's lungs as he beheld a massive tree the size of a mountain. 'Home sweet home' was his message. At the base of the mossy timber was a small cottage now a part of the pulp that made the topiary. A ladder about Zelda's size connected the home to the small world below, and she marveled at how perfect it all looked as a whole. It looked like a dream.

"You reside here, Hero?" She questioned.

He nodded.

"It is beautiful." She sighed, but Link didn't want to waste her time with his old abode. Rather, he yearned for her to see the magic throughout, and he moved Epona to enter town. Zelda held her breath only to have it swiftly stolen from her.

Ordon was the definition of a small village; both quaint and homely, it lived in a slow time of its own. Unlike the hustle and bustle of Castle Town, the village of greenery was relaxed and friendly. There were only five buildings in total, each she could count the moment she entered, all spaced out nicely and respectfully. As they walked through the dirt trodden path she saw the crop of bright orange pumpkins and the traffic of cuccos every which way. And simple people grew these simple crops within this simple town that moved in a simple rhythm.

These people, the moment they laid eyes on the princess, stopped whatever they were doing, and ogled her like Nayru herself came from the heavens. Link greeted them, but a majority didn't hear, only watched in awe as they reached a specific home.

An older gentleman and young woman stood in front of it in waiting. The moment the man saw the horse, he waved with a large mustached grin.

"Oy! Link!" He called, putting his hands on his hips in a strong pose. He was a big man, though not entirely fat; his structure was made mostly of bulky muscle that caused his brown obi to sink beneath his belly. It was a fashion trend within the village she noticed, to wear a sash of some sort.

Link stopped Epona when they were in front of the home, and Zelda gave a good look over the girl. The man appeared to be the Mayor, which made her either his wife or daughter, but by her age Zelda assumed the latter. The Mayor's daughter was a petite girl with sandy hair caught in a permanent breeze and emerald eyes brimming with life. You could read her emotions like tattoos, and she wasn't afraid to have them seen. By the way she glared daggers at her father, the princess inferred there was some animosity between the two, and when he started to sweat and looked guilty about it, she assumed the girl dominated the household.

"Your Majesty," The Mayor bowed lowly, as did the rest of the village which magically seemed to appear in a crowd, "It's an honor to have you staying here within our humble village. Allow me to introduce myself–"

"Wait!" A squawk pulled the attention to a frazzled Alger and rest of the party, carriage and all.

Link made a face that oozed pride in his village's bridge, and Zelda lightly smiled. The two dismounted as the carriage was being brought forward, and Alger strolled to the front of the home and stood in front of the crowd in an uppity pleasure.

"People of Ordon," He called out, "I announce to you the arrival of our most beloved rose of the kingdom," he held a small hint of sarcasm in his voice, "The lovely and virtuous Princess Zelda the Seventeenth of Hyrule." The small crowd gave respectful claps and Alger pranced off, nearly hitting his nose on the doorway from how high he held it.

The Mayor gave a lost expression, but continued on. "As I was saying, allow me to introduce myself, I am Mayor Bo, and this is my daughter Ilia."

"Greetings Your Highness." Ilia rapidly spoke with youthful giddiness.

"She's an old friend of Link's, but you might remember her from Kakariko." Mayor Bo said.

Zelda cringed from within. She only briefly attended relocation day, too busy being judged by the council to spend a majority of time aiding the cause. However, she remembered seeing Ilia in a vision as one of the people Link desperately wanted to save. There was a twinge of concern, but the look the two exchanged was that of family, not lovers, and she breathed in relief.

"I do believe I remember seeing you. I had heard from our physician that you had suffered a head injury, nearly lost your memory." Zelda didn't mean to sound so brash, and her stoic stare didn't help make the statement sound any more sympathetic.

Ilia smirked and tussled her locks. "Yeah, but I was able to get it back. Still have some days where I'm really tired. I have issues remembering small things, but other than that, I'm fine." Her olive skin bloomed red.

"You'll be spending the duration of your trip here in our home, Your Highness, so you can tell your handmaids to put your luggage in the dining room for now. Your coachman can leave the carriage and his horse with our rancher, he's an… okay man that'll take good care of them." Mayor Bo, half talking to her and at the same time a grouchy Alger, was able to clear the roads and get the three days in motion. "A lot of the wedding decorations are in my home so it'll take awhile to get your stuff together, Your Majesty. You're more than welcome to tour the village while you wait."

"And no worries Link, I'll take care of Epona." Ilia offered for her own obvious enjoyment.

Zelda opened her hands out to him in a thankful vulnerability. "Many thanks, Mayor Bo. You have a lovely village."

Mayor Bo turned around with a smile from ear to ear, and the moment he and Ilia left the conversation, Link jumped into action. His look screamed that he wanted her to follow, and she did willingly. _I'd follow you anywhere_ she thought to herself, quickly swatting it away.

The first he took her to was the village store which oddly hung a strange banner with the face of chubby man. The owner introduced herself as Sera, a woman with the image of a bush that had bore all its fruit. She lived in the village with her "no-good" husband Hanch, and their child Beth.

"Your Highness, sorry if I offend you, but you are so skinny and pale! You really should try my specially-made milk, it's sure to fatten you up!" She bellowed in a very candid manner. The woman had more pictures of her cat than her own daughter.

That then led the princess to be introduced to Jaggle and his wife Pergie, the homely couple that ran the mill. Although they were both very muscular and menacing people, they acted with a high level of respect for everyone. They offered one of their freshly picked Ordon Pumpkins as an offering to the Royal Family, and as honored Zelda felt, she honestly didn't want to carry the thing around.

Link briefly mentioned the head rancher Fado, for he didn't want to interrupt his work, so instead they visited the last family in the village. Immediately a familiar face came to view, and Zelda allowed herself a sliver of visible enjoyment to break from her front.

"Princess Zelda, it's good to see you again." He smiled, chiseled face wrinkling at the edges and strong arms open to what would have been a hug had it not been for his respect of boundaries.

"Sir Rusl," she nodded her head, "Nice to see you are doing well."

The cries of a toddler erupted from within his home, and he cringed. "For the most part, hehe, haven't slept in the last four years," He joked impishly.

She glanced at Link who was watching her closely, obviously fancying to see her enjoying herself. "Yes, Hero?" She pondered, but he only widened his eyes and looked away like he was caught stealing a cookie.

"Shad and Ashei should be here by tomorrow; they're really thankful you agreed to come and do the ceremony for them." Rusl stated.

"It is my pleasure," Zelda responded.

Link jumped in, gave his hellos to his mentor, and quickly dragged Zelda to who he was itching to introduce her to. She had butterflies as they walked together in peaceful silence toward his home, yet the moment they passed his sign, four children, as if out of nowhere, jumped and tackled her hero to the ground with a thud.

"Oof!" Link groaned as he hit the hard earth with the small bodies of vermin on his back. Zelda recognized all of them as the children from Kakariko also, but it took them a while to notice who their audience of one was.

They rushed to stand up, and although the other three looked frightened yet curious, the girl stepped forward and crossed her arms. This had to have been Sera's daughter Beth, since she gave the same sassy gaze her mother did.

"My dad says I'm a princess, you know." She said matter-of-factly, auburn hair curled just as high as her button nose.

One of the boys gave a horrified look as he lightly punched Beth's shoulder, red headband flailing as he did so. "Idiot! It's not the same thing!"

Beth growled at him and punched the boy back. "I know that Talo, I was joking, you dumby!"

Link got up, massaging his back and wincing slightly. "You guys really know how to ambush, don't you?"

"We have to be prepared for anything! The village didn't upgrade for nothing!" Talo boasted, making a fist in the air in pride.

"But did you have to attack me?" Link laughed lightly.

A blonde haired boy with doe shaped eyes – who Zelda knew for sure was Rusl's oldest child Colin – interluded with, "We missed you and saw it as the most surprising hello."

Zelda learned that Link was a very understanding man by his reaction of patience and politeness. Honestly, she was sure she would have destroyed the children if they attacked her without warning or announcement, and that was another reason why she envied him. There was slightly tug at her skirt which broke her train of thought, and looking down, she saw a short forty-year-old man?

No, that was no adult, just a child with the face of an unimpressed bulldog. Now Zelda really wondered why his face was on the banner within the shop, but the moment he spoke it all made sense. "Have you shopped in our store yet? It's co-owned by Malo Mart, a general store franchise with three locations within Hyrule and still expanding. I'm Malo by the way, so have you shopped there yet? We have the best deals in the Faron Province."

Zelda was rendered speechless, for she had heard of the Malo Mart in Castle Town being the hottest shop for a majority of the crowd and expected it to be owned by an old man, yet here was this child with three stores and still trying to expand. It made her feel like she'd done nothing with her life.

"Stop it Malo, no one's gonna go to your stupid store if you keep bothering them!" Beth scolded.

"You're just jealous!" He combatted, leading to a fevered argument between the two. This then caused Colin to get involved to try and defuse the situation, and Talo try and stir it on longer for his own personal enjoyment. Link took this distraction to motion Zelda toward him, and they slipped away.

…

"If she isn't with the kids, then there's only one other place she would be," Link stated, humming with excitement toward the mystery girl. An uncomfortable warmth lit in her belly and awoke the butterflies from their slumber from within. She tried to stay out of her head as he led her back in the direction of the bridge and turned to the village spring.

The fine sand crunched beneath her boots, and she stood in awe at its small waterfalls and water that mirrored the sky. A shy rainbow made itself known occasionally, depending on how the water splashed in eagerness to fill the pool. But Link knew she had seen a spirit spring before, and drew her attention to a small body sitting on the shore line placidly.

It was a child no older than nine playing with what Zelda believed to be a makeshift instrument born from a few twigs and imagination. She must have felt their stares on her back, since she swiftly looked back to ogle at the princess and hero, blue eyes widening in astonishment and tiny nose scrunching as a toothy grin reached from ear to ear. She quickly discarded her toy and scurried to run toward Link with arms wide open.

"Big brother!" She squealed in joy.

Zelda's face curled. "Big...brother?"

The child rammed herself into Link, wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes in bliss. Her long, muted blue strands curled innocently at the tips of her bangs, barely covering the sharp points of her ears. She was Hylian for sure, and wore what Zelda assumed to be hole-covered hand-me-downs fixed with extra cloth from around the house. She looked the part, but Zelda was not aware that the Hero had a sibling.

Link knelt down and looked at the child with a smile. "Naru, this is Princess Zelda."

Naru turned and let her eyes grow three times again, basically peering into Zelda's for quite a time before speaking. "You're Princess Zelda?"

She knelt to be at her height and nodded. "Yes I am, Naru, have you heard of me before?"

"Yeah, Big Brother's told me stories about you. How does it feel to be possessed?" She asked with a frankness only capable from a child. Link rushed to put a hand over her mouth in embarrassment by her loose tongue, but Zelda was too focused on the first statement to care about the hurtful question. _He talks about me?_ She wanted to leap with joy.

He apologized for Naru's outburst with his sinking frown, and the girl began to lick him to try and get his hand off her mouth. He pulled away and wiped the child slobber against his tunic.

"Do you play any music princess?" Naru asked, raising a thin eyebrow in a dramatic expression that mimicked Beth.

Zelda nodded. "Yes I do. Three to be exact."

Naru, although feigning indifference, was very impressed, and ran to get her bundle of sticks, bringing it over and waving it around proudly. "I'm trying to build a lyre. Will you teach me how to play when I get done? No one in the village knows how to play anything, so I'm looking for a mentor."

Zelda was humored by the eccentric determination of the child. "Of course, may I see it?"

Gingerly she let the princess hold her prized possession, but the moment their hands met, Zelda focused her attention on the strange sight. This girl was most definitely a young child, yet on the back of her hands were painful-looking varicose veins. A strange feeling washed over Zelda, a depleting sensation born from sympathy to the strange occurrence. The princess returned to her the twig lyre, and Link told Naru to head home and wait for him to come. The child did so without complaint, and Zelda walked as she ran off barefoot.

"What do you think?" He asked.

Zelda continued to stare out to where she ran. "I had no idea you had a sister, Hero."

Link made an awkward noise, obviously unsure how to answer. "I, uh...I don't," he began to explain, "A few months ago, the village hermit Coro came by saying he found a kid in the fields. We think she was abandoned by a caravan or got in an accident and happened to be the only one uninjured. Nonetheless, he brought her to the village and left her to stay in my house. She was out for about a week, but when she woke up she had no idea who she was or where her family came from. Ilia's been trying to help her get her memory back, but so far, no use, and she just decided that I was her big brother."

Zelda's heart broke slightly at the story. "How awful."

Link bobbed his head in despondent agreement.

Trying to lighten the now-somber mood, she held her hands and leaned forward slightly. "I hear her name is Naru. I assume you gave it to her? I did not know you were capable of blasphemy, Hero."

He gave a hearty chuckle, impressed that she even caught on. "It was the hair. And in my defense, her name isn't 'Naryu', okay, I left the 'Y' out so not to get in trouble. Don't send a lightning storm to smite me." Zelda enjoyed his laugh, especially when she caused it, and was prepared to head back to town until he called her back. His face grew serious, all humor lost behind his eyes that gave off a paternal concern. He whispered, "I wanted you to give me your opinion on something. Her hands, you saw them, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did." A fear fell into her mind, but she choose to keep it to herself for now.

"What did you think about it? She's had it since day one, and every day it seems to get worse." His brows furrowed.

Zelda paused, "...I am no doctor, but from the looks of it, it is not causing her any pain. The child is brimming with life and joy, but we can keep an eye on it."

Link nodded, and Zelda's mind drifted back to the last time she received the nightmare. It was so dire and bore from her a feeling of frantic anxiety, and that was what overcame her now when she saw the child's hand. Zelda did see a childish glow about Naru, and this oddly made her unsettled rather than happy, but she didn't wish to dwell on it.

The hero saw her disappear for a moment, and he noted how tired she looked, offering to take her back to Mayor Bo's.

"Thank you...Link. I have not been sleeping very well and–" A loud gasp brought their attention to the horde of finely dressed women looking horrified. You would think they walked into an affair by their expression.

One of the handmaids commanded, "Your Highness, we are charged with escorting you back to your quarters for the night!"

A bubble of anger reached her for an instant. "I am a grown woman thank you, I am more than capable to take myself back." This was meant to be a vacation, no rules! She could smell the alcohol of her father from here, and she humored the women to save herself the lecture from Alger later. Link raised his hand to her in a puzzled farewell, and she glared at the back of the women's heads. As they walked, another one leaned it, the same girl that spoke to her on their way to the carriage. "You really shouldn't be around a man without a chaperone present, Your Majesty."

...

"I can't believe you!" Ilia screamed, slamming the front door.

Mayor Bo looked at the porch in bewilderment. He frowned, rubbing his head confused.

When Princess Zelda walked to the home, she looked between the man and front door, the energy still ringing in the area. "Is everything alright?" She investigated.

Mayor Bo sighed, and scratched his grey mustache. "I'm not sure," He shrugged his shoulder, "I thought she would be happy with the news."

It must have been the same thing that caused her to cast him scowls when the princess arrived, and the reaction Ilia had was almost nostalgic. "It is an arranged marriage, isn't it?"

He opened his eyes to disagree but stopped. "How did you know?"

"Does she know who her betrothed is?"

"Well, yes," He opened his hands," It's to a very influential merchant from Castle Town. He comes to the village twice a month with his father, and each time he's come, he and Ilia spent a lot of time together. I could have sworn they liked each other. It's not like they have to get married, I just let her know that his father put the offer on the table to help get the village more tools for the harvest." He truly didn't know the issue behind this all, finding his action to be just and logical, and Zelda understood where he was coming from. But at the same time, she understood Ilia's rage also.

"Let me speak to her." She asked.

"Of course!" Mayo Bo bowed, watching the princess enter his home.

She strolled into the well-furnished cottage and looked for the nearest closed door. When she found it, the sound of things being tossed around was all to be heard on the other end. Without concern, she knocked three times.

"Go away!" Ilia growled harshly.

"It is Princess Zelda."

Silence, followed by the shuffling of feet and hands, ending in the door swinging open swiftly. "Your Highness! I-I had no idea, I apologize!" Her eyes and nose were a cherry red, cheeks stained with fresh tears.

"No worries," she rose her hand, "Shall you invite me in?"

Ilia straightened her posture, "O-Of course!"

She stepped to the side and Zelda glided into the now-messy quarters of the mayor's daughter. Now the princess was sure the feeling was nostalgia, and she sat at a table, motioning Ilia to do the same. There was an irony in the situation, being as how she was in Ilia's shoes not too long ago.

"I saw the confrontation outside. What has caused you this unhappiness?" Zelda asked.

Ilia shook her head and bit her lip. "My father probably already told you. He wants to arrange a marriage between me and the merchant's son."

"What is his name?"

"Elric," Ilia gave a small smile, "And my dad's right, we do really like each other but..I just can't be forced to marry him! It doesn't feel right!"

Zelda interrupted, "Takes away from you picking him yourself."

"Exactly!" She beamed, thankful that someone understood her opinion. "And I know he hasn't agreed to it yet but the fact that he even brought it up just makes me so angry! I just feel that if I don't that I'll be seen as a complete ass..."

The princess nodded. "Thus is the fate of women of our stature. We are given options that we don't like, yet we do it for the greater good of our people. We make sacrifices we never wish to make, but no matter what, you must take your decision and never regret it! Never run from it."

Ilia titled her head. "Have you had to make sacrifices...Princess?"

 _"Surrender or Die." The serpent hissed._

"Yes."

Ilia watched her closely.

"And I know that, although you may not like the outcome, there is always a silver lining. You have time to weigh in your decision, and no matter what, I am convinced that your people would be happy with whichever you choose." Zelda continued.

The blonde girl looked at her bare toes and sighed, "Thanks for talking to me Your Highness, it means a lot."

Zelda thought it would be appropriate in these situations to hold her like Impaz would, but in her aloofness, she only managed to awkwardly place her hand on the girl's back. It was then that Ilia twisted to face her better, and wrapped her arms around the monarch in a tight embrace, in need of feminine comfort. She looked down at the girl in shock, unsure of what to do, and mind shifting to everything that fell from her mouth.

A mild guilt burned her lungs at how unfit she was to give advice, for every chance she got, she challenged her fate and regretted decisions. Quietly she wept, unwilling to accept that her time with her Hero was so short.

* * *

 **There it is! I have midterms tomorrow so wish me luck guys! This chapter was hard for me to write, but most satisfying to get done, so I hope you enjoyed it! And 15 reviews already! I know it may not seem like much, but the fact that I've reached 10+ reviews with only the rising actions published makes me super happy, and I couldn't have done it without you amazing readers!**

 **Super-duper-special thanks to my beta-reader: SunnyAirisu222 for really helping out with this one! You're the best girly! I forgot to mention her birthday was in February so if you could, PM here with a Happy Belated Birthday message! And check out her stories if you have a deep love for floral diction and an attention to detail in descriptions, she's your girl!**

 **And special thanks to : Ximnah, The Night Baroness, xxHinaAngelxx, Austinc1998, chess211, Nl0 (guest), Hiezen, Bnanas23, Xtreme11, and Hex Levi for a review, favorite, or follow (or all of the above)!**

 **R &R, and I'll see you next month! Love you all!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Hey everybody, it's that time again, the chapter of the month! Now just a quick little note here before we go on, I noticed about four days ago that in my authors note from the last chapter I put " I could have done it without my amazing readers" instead of " I couldn't have done it without my amazing readers" and I am dead inside because that was up FOR A MONTH D: I am super sorry, I hope you guys knew what I meant - I'm not a diva I promise - and I think now I should have my beta proof my Authors Notes haha**

 **EDIT 4/28/17 - just punctuation issues that needed to be resolved**

 **Now without further ado!**

* * *

Slumber was not easy for the princess, even outside of the prison of her castle. The foul dreams had left her alone for the past few days and she expected sweet dreams for this trip; however, the hard beds and itchy blankets were somewhat of a curveball for her. She lightly clawed at the light pink blotches on her gloved arms, already hearing the sound of Alger's voice scolding her. " _I told you, you should have used the blankets provided_ _by our packing, the delicate skin of a princess can not handle the rough fabrics of the poor!"_ She rolled her cold, sea-blue eyes at the thought of it, thankful that her gold pauldrons covered the slight rash on her shoulders.

The princess struggled with the urge to scratch again, but knew it would be rude to do so at the table whilst they ate. Mayor Bo sat across from her, Ilia to her right, and the legion of unnaturally giddy handmaids stood in every angle of the room. Alger had left his quarters early in the morning to help conduct the plans for the ceremony tomorrow, and Zelda praised the goddesses he wasn't around to make things any more awkward than they were.

She could practically taste Mayor Bo's nervousness around her, and it increased each time their eyes made contact. Zelda began toying with the idea that maybe she scared people, for she had once heard the palace artist and a young lord comment how her eyes were that of a dead fish – but then again, she saw the noble as a pest of a guest anyways, so of course her expression was that of pure boredom. His words still hurt though, and she continued to reflect on the possibility.

"How was your sleep, Mayor?" The princess made the first vocalization of the morning, taking a brief sip from her goblet.

He perked up slight, his mustache curling sky-bound. "Good, Your Highness, thanks for asking," He consumed a spoonful of aromatic pumpkin soup, "I hope you enjoy your meal, my daughter is an excellent cook."

Zelda glanced down at the platter of grilled cucco and steamed veggies marinated in a sweet bath of savory sauce. "It is delicious." she responded. In all honesty, she would have liked to have eaten the mundane pumpkin soup with the mayor and his daughter, but the moment Ilia offered the great meal, it felt rude to refuse. Pumpkin soup was her favorite.

"And how did you sleep, Your Majesty?" Ilia chimed in, now glowing with a newfound optimism.

Another itch bloomed off Zelda's flesh, and she took another sip of sweet wine. "Well, thank you."

"Are you sure?" Ilia pressed forward, almost whining in an attempt to hear the words she yearned to be spoken. Although, what they were, Zelda couldn't tell.

The princess patted the crown on her forehead and coughed. "Of course." She lied.

Gradually, a conversation began to take flight, but shortly plummeted to the ground with clipped wings. It was tranquil yet unnerving, each member at the table shoveling down their food. When the meal was over, Zelda happily prepared for the day, waiting until her handmaidens were busy with dishes before leaving the home to venture outside.

It was a pleasantly warm morning. The shining sun gave life to the greens and browns of the village, a nice change from the grays and cool colors of the castle. It was quiet, save for the clucks of cuccos and the cawing of order from Alger by the village mill; but that was what Zelda admired so far about Ordon. Time was slow here, and the people were equally steady, savoring each step of their humble lives with beads of perspired hard work on their foreheads rather than jewels. She was so used to the hustle and bustle of Castle Town that this new pace of life made her feel restless but lethargic, yet relaxed.

She took an undulating breath of fresh air, the creek beside the home eliciting the earthy scent of wet dirt ready to teem with life.

"Hey!" Link shouted from the other side of the footbridge, one hand holding Epona's reins, the other waving at her with a large, glimmering smile.

Zelda waved back gingerly, taking notice of his new attire. He was no longer sporting his Hero tunic and cap, but rather an outfit that coincided with the other garbs worn in the village. His forearms were bound with white bandages and feet wrapped by rabbit fur lined sandals. His waist held the traditional blue sash held by an orange belt and pouch at his hip. His right shoulder was bare, and the left sleeved with green fabric sewn together in a style that had her believe he did it himself. He looked a lot younger in his village clothes; boyish and laid back without a worry in the world. His ruffled locks danced freely in the light breeze, and she watched as he rubbed the back of his neck, taking notice of her curiosity as to why he wasn't wearing the clothing she thought was a staple of his.

"I'm heading to work." He vocalized, nodding at the sign near the entrance of the trail to the ranch up the hill. Zelda nearly forgot he was a rancher and felt almost disappointed that he was heading off so soon. She had wanted to spend the morning with him, but acknowledged he had duties, looking back to notice the tanned flesh of triforce on the back of his hand. Then her eyes traveled up his toned arm, stopping when she noticed he was watching her.

"I see," She quickly looked away, "Enjoy work then, may we spend the evening and night together instead?" She questioned, soon reddening at the possible interpretation of her words. "I mean to say, so you can show me more of the village."

Link chuckled, nodding his head and giving her his promise with a twinkle of his sapphire eyes. That was when the village rancher jumped into the conversation. The long and oddly proportioned Fado shouted, "HEEEEYYYY, Link!"

He marched down proudly. Zelda remembered Link telling her he was about his own age, yet acted like he was an elder that needed total respect, even though he was an "okay rancher".

"Stop flirting with the Princess and get to work! These goats aren't going to herd themselves!" He commanded Link.

The Hero gave him an annoyed look before nodding a farewell to the princess and guiding his equestrian up the dirt path. Her eyes followed him, and she felt ruffled, like her petals were pulled piece by piece from her. Fado bowed lowly and mimicked a formal tone. "I apologize, Your Highness, that my rancher boy bothered you."

"Oh no," she wore her mask of indifference, "He is not the rancher that bothered me." Immediately she regretted the hostility in her voice, but his smile made her believe it flew right over his oblong head. The princess held her skirt and she stepped down onto the ground, walking to the spot Link just stood in, and glanced at the dirt-trodden trail leading to the ranch. A wave of loneliness and unease came over her. She wasn't sure what to do with herself now, what without her usual distractions or obligations.

That was when Rusl approached her with his wife Uli and their toddler daughter in his arms fast asleep. Zelda turned to face them, hands clasped in front of her.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Uli greeted, her eyes sleepy from motherhood.

"Good morning." The princess played with the wrapped strands that framed her pale face.

Rusl handed their tired child to Uli and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek before she walked to the village shop. "Shad and Ashei just arrived not too long ago. If you're not busy, they would be happy to see you," He offered.

Zelda nodded, "I would love to." In all honesty, she was confounded by the fact that the two contrasting characters even came together despite being oil and water. Then again, she assumed that that was what love was, rebellious and surprising.

Rusl's home was located in a nice nook between hills, only a few strides away from the mayor's. The princess admired how tight-knit the village as a whole was, with its bountiful sense of family and unity. The town's lead swordsman called out to the visitors from inside, and swiftly came a tall woman with raven black hair and cold droopy eyes. These were what Zelda would consider dead fish eyes, hard and unfeeling, not truly observing the area as a whole but focusing on one single detail. In the fish's case it would be death, but seeing as the woman was neither dead nor a fish, Zelda inferred that the woman was focusing on a possible threat.

"Ashei, the Princess is here." Rusl said amusingly, noting the way her face softened when she finally saw Zelda behind her lense of caution.

"Oh, good," she stated before fully walking out the door, her metal boots clanking, "I thought there was danger."

"D-Darling!" A boyish voice stuttered nervously from inside. "Please let me out."

Rusl paled, "Where did you put him?"

Ashei crossed her arms in reason. "I locked him in a closet. If there was danger, he needed to stay out of harm's way. His skinny arms are too weak to hold a sword."

When she was convinced there was no menace, she released the intelligent historian and they stood hand-in-hand at the entrance of Rusl's home. Shad was a slender man, with narrow shoulders and peachy skin. Zelda recalled, during the knighting, watching his round glasses slip off his nose as he ran happily through the castle archives. They asked him to be the royal historian, yet he politely had refused, preferring to freelance and not worry about politics interfering with his findings. She envied his freedom.

"Your Majesty!" He proudly greeted in his naturally hush voice and stepping forward. The princess was caught off guard when he dropped to one knee, took her hand, and placed the back of it against his forehead before standing up and returning to his fiance's side. The group stared at him oddly, and when he noticed their glares, his face reddened and his eyes grew frantic.

"What? That is the way you are required to greet the princess of Hyrule. Don't look at me like that!" He turned to Zelda hoping she would help his case.

She cleared her throat. "He is correct. I apologise for appearing uncomfortable; however, that formal greeting has not been used since my grandmother was a child."

"Oh." Shad breathed, not awkwardly but rather in thought, as if he was marking it down in his mental record.

"He likes tradition a lot." Ashei chimed in pleasantly, visibly happy to share his interests aloud.

"As do I," Princess Zelda replied, "And I was told that was the reason for my invitation."

"Thank you again, Your Highness, for blessing us with this! We could have just hired one of the priestesses for the ceremony, but it is a true honor to have Hylia herself unify Ashei and I!" His rock grey eyes sparkled.

Rusl jumped into the conversation to add: "Don't forget to light your candle tonight, though. Just because the princess is here doesn't mean she can make exceptions to the ritual."

The two Resistance members nodded, practically glowing with excitement. It was an experience to see so much love between two people, and the gravity of it all made her woozy. Most weddings she had hosted were between nobility, and never had the bride and groom stared into each other's eyes so lovingly. Marriage in the aristocracy was a business, no more and no less; just a contract meant to wipe out the competitors.

 _I envy you_ , she thought to herself, knowing very well she would never hold that shine for her betrothed. Just as the group continued to speak amongst themselves, Zelda felt a burning glare in the back of her head. She slightly turned her body, and through her peripheral she caught Alger's predatory peer as he watched her closely, face seething with suspicion and bad intentions. At that very moment, he was creating a plethora of theories and stories to report back to her father like a disrespectful child.

"Everything okay, Your Highness?" Rusl pulled her attention away from the hawk-man.

"Yes," She showed disinterest, trying to steer the focus away from her. Luckily, this was the moment that the horde of village children came marching through, running and shouting at them in glee. Talo rushed over to stand in front of Ashei, barely reaching the height of her belly button, and she stared down at him with a level expression.

"Hey, you're a swordsman right?" He asked obnoxiously.

She nodded.

Talo pointed to the practice dummy alongside the home and beamed. "Can you show us some moves?!"

"Talo!" Collin whined, looking at the adults in apology.

Ashei made a face of disinterest at the idea, grabbing the pommel of her sword and biting the inside of her cheek. "Too tired. I'd rather not," she expressed, soon jutting her chin toward the princess, wondering, "How about you, Your Highness? I heard you used to compete when you were younger; maybe you could teach me a thing or two?"

Zelda froze.

 _She held the blade a breath away from his neck._

"I can not." She said softly. Her body wanted to run and hide, an unseen hand wrapped around her throat and squeezed roughly. The fresh wound on her mind began to fester.

"Why not?" Ashei pressed, visibly puzzled.

"I am only trained in the ways of an estoc." She lied, eyes unblinking.

The black-haired warrior drew her exotic blade. "Mine's a small sword; if anything, it'll be easier for you to use."

"I–" The children interrupted by surrounding her with large pleading eyes. Beside Beth was Naru who made her lip quiver and eyes gloss with wet blackmail. Zelda tried to focus her attention on their faces instead of her fears, her promise echoing in her mind. _Be a cause and not an effect,_ she chewed alongside her vow of reticence.

At some point she took the blade and was moved to stand in front of the makeshift practice dummy. Its pumpkin face watched her anxiously, and she swung the sword like a pendulum to learn its weight. She brought her left foot back, and placed her same hand delicately against her chest with her knees bent.

In one swift movement she pounced into a sharp lung, sheathing the blade deep within the imaginary heart of her opponent. Her audience awed at the precision, and although the princess felt rusty and inadequate, she appreciated the reverence.

"Nice form." Ashei smirked.

Zelda's body hummed with the nostalgic adrenaline that comes with a sword, body twitching and breath ragged. In all honesty, she missed training, and focused on the stationary opponent in front of her. She returned to her position, retracting her arm to place her weapon to her face in skyward position. Primal blood pumped through her body, and she imagined the enemy clearly in her mind just as she had in her youth. It was an enemy soldier, and she slashed across his chest in a diagonal path – the splinters fell from the bucket armor like fresh blood – and from instinct, she quickly grabbed her sword with the edge out. The soldier pulsated and transfigured into a stiff mask that she stabbed unforgivingly with all her might. She growled loudly, hacking away at the stone eyes that threatened her, and slit the throat that produced a never-ending chuckle of dominance. The laughing needed to stop, she had to make them stop, for when he laughed people died, and she wanted no more blood on her hands.

With a powerful bellow, she brought down from the heavens: her final blow, only to have it impeded by a pair of strong arms and the smell of freshly cut grass. She snapped to face this third party, and met with the concerned eyes that blinded her with realization. Most of the children had disappeared out of fright, and those who did stay ogled at her in a perverted light. Sickened, she grimaced at the pumpkin pulp that sullied her hands and dress, now just a open husk with seeded entrails on a stick.

The blade dropped, and she collapsed into herself, trembling and confused. Link looked at her so differently now, and she hated it, turning away from his judgement and eventually being taken inside.

...

"Here you are, Your Highness." Uli handed her a small cup of warm tea that the young woman gladly gulped down, then glaring at her dark reflection.

Everything was a blur now, her memories of the event before like a hazy dream that seemed impossible to occur. But it did.

Rusl and his wife cleaned her up well, sat her down and consoled her like real parents. She appreciated their care and hospitality, but that couldn't distract her from the mess that transpired an hour ago.

"How're you feeling?" Rusl asked, sitting across from her with his toned arms crossed.

"Much better, thank you." Zelda whispered. If she could have changed one thing she couldn't control, she would have had parents like Rusl and Uli. "I apologize again, you have no idea how–"

He raised his hand to silence her. "No more princess. Just relax."

She continued to drink the lukewarm tea and watched the swordsman watch her.

"I used to be a soldier in the Hylian army when your Grandmother was in power, "Rusl began, "One of the first battles I fought in was the most brutal thing I ever saw. We came in thinking we were untouchable, and left with a piece of us on that field we'd never get back...Some men came back worse than others."

Zelda listened attentively, disguising her relief that she was not going mad.

"Soldier's Heart is what we call it. The ones that had it were haunted by the ghosts they left behind after every battle… There's nothing romantic about it; the atrocities they saw were not some part of an epic play that ended with a victorious Hero after they returned home. Do you understand the feeling?"

"Yes." Zelda replied, half-thinking, a single tear welling in her left eye.

Rusl sighed, and leaned forward with a smile that accentuated his profound features. "I see you have your phantoms, princess, but know that the Twili Invasion affected all of us, and you are safe now."

She nodded, breathing heavily. "You remind me of my nursemaid," – she smiled at the thought of Impaz – "And I agree with you, but it will not be easy."

"Of course not, but I am glad you at least acknowledge that there is a problem, and that's half the battle. " He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Will they ever go away?"

He sighed," From what I saw in my younger years...No. You just learn to cope with it."

There was a hard silence.

"Sir Rusl," Zelda reached for his attention, holding his stare, "Does Link think I am a monster?"

The blond swordsman nearly jumped in shock, pursing his lips in thought. His silence concerned her, but he eventually spoke with a reassuring smile. "Link is the most understanding person I know, and rightly so, since I basically raised him," He laughed proudly, but when he saw no amusement from the princess, grew serious, "He has his own demons to conquer, so I doubt he has anything but empathy towards you...Would it help if I told you he has been waiting outside all this time to see how you were?"

Her eyes widened, and cheeks flooded with warmth.

"Oh, before I forget," Uli put her small hand against her cheek, "Mayor Bo wondered if you would be well enough to have a meal in his home, but it's long over now."

"That's fine dear, Link likes cooking for people anyways," He faced the princess, "Maybe you should go let him know you are feeling better now."

Slowly, the Princess stood and thanked them both, anxiously reaching the door and stepping outside. _Maybe it had been more than an hour_ , she thought to herself when she saw the land coated in the sepia glow of twilight. The air was colder now, and across the stream, she noticed the decor for the wedding was already set and ready for tomorrow. Taking a step forward, the rustling of clothes brought her attention to the porch where a lost rancher boy sat and waited for his shepard. Sky blue met a stormy ocean, and they watched each other.

He was the first to move, standing up and looking over her in concern as if he would find some gaping wound he could heal.

"I am feeling much better now, Hero, thank you." She lowered her head to him. It was then that she remembered that out of all the Lords and Ladies she had met, he was one of the few people she felt the need to bow to.

He breathed in relief, fixing his shirt that rutted up to relax. "I'm glad to hear that, Zelda."

Chills ran up her spine.

Looking up at the sky, he tilted his head toward the road, turning around to start walking home in hopes that she would follow. _That was it?_ Zelda wondered, jogging slightly to catch up to him.

He looked at her and smiled, extending his elbow out for her to grab. Gingerly, she complied, and the moment her hand met his exposed skin, she wanted to faint. He walked slowly for her, and she eyed him in curiosity. If the invasion affected everyone, how did it change him? She couldn't find a single thing different about her Hero. He was still as caring and courageous as ever, and that made her envious of him. Why wasn't she blessed with that luxury of a clear mind?

"Link?" They passed the village shop, "I am sorry."

He faltered for a bit, but continued. "Don't be," there was a pause, "Just get better." There was a harsh tenderness to his words, and he gazed at her for what felt like an eternity, just looking at her face. When he turned away, she knew that was the end of the topic, that he didn't want her to dwell on it, and she followed his lead.

When they reached his home, he gave a shout to the other inhabitant, only to find that no one was home. His brow rose, and he looked to Zelda in concern.

"What is wrong?" She questioned.

He scratched his head. "Naru is usually home by now, and the other kids said she wasn't with them."

Zelda held her hands to her chest. "Maybe she is on a walk."

Link nodded, "I think I know where. Could you go the Spring and see if she's there?"

The princess agreed to the quest, and happily went to search for the waggish child, only to find the adventurer was correct in his speculation. Naru sat in the same spot as she had the other day, still playing with her contraption. Zelda was prepared to call out her name until she saw the shimmer of tears run down her ruddy cheeks.

Naru must have caught the dying words on the princess's lips, for she turned with wide eyes and web-like eyelashes. "P-Princess!" She dried her tears and tried to hide her last moments.

Zelda walked over to her and dropped to her knees, holding her hands out but not touching the child. "What happened?" She asked, looking for an injury that would cause those tears.

Naru shook her head, biting the inside of her cheek and eyes gamboling away. "The other kids...They don't like me very much." She sniffed.

The princess tilted her head. "What makes you say that?"

Naru stayed silent.

Then, for just a small instant, a distant memory popped into the princess's weary mind. It was from a time that seemed to never have existed, yet could feel its effect linger like the smell of burnt toast. It was when she cried to her grandmother.

"I know the feeling." She muttered.

Naru's interest peaked, and she peered at the princess in disbelief. "You do?" She questioned with a squeak.

"...When I was younger, a lot of the children in the court refused to play with me," she recollected, "I scared them… Being chosen by the goddesses has its downsides, and that was one. It felt more like a punishment instead of a gift. They would stay away from me and watch from afar, and the only children who did speak to me did so because their parents forced them."

"R-Really?" Naru's thin brows furrowed.

Zelda nodded. "I remember one summer, running to my grandmother in tears...I told her I didn't want to be a Zelda anymore – could you imagine that conversation," she gave a feathery chuckle, "I can still see the way she smiled at me, her white hair pulled into a mature bun and pink gown laughed with her as she told me she felt the same way when she was my age… She took my hand, knowing that all these things that mattered so much to me in that moment were nothing, that I wouldn't lose myself just because a few children refused to spend time with me. Because she would."

Naru cracked a smile, and Zelda wasn't completely sure what to do next, so she grabbed the girl's varicose hand and patted it awkwardly. "I am here, and you can tell me anything."

The child looked in every direction before scratching her ear and opening up. "I told Talo that I wanted to be a Lanayru Virgin when I grew up, and he told everyone and they laughed at me." She teared up.

"That is it?"

Naru buried her head in the sand and groaned, "Yes! I was so embarrassed." She pulled at her long locks and when she looked up, her tears were coated in sand.

The princess thought back to Ilia, and how she jumped into her arms when yearning for motherly comfort. Adroitly, she reached out to the girl, and in a spark of maternal instinct, pulled her into her chest and soothed her weeping form. She mimicked the way her grandmother would pat her hair and shushed a lullaby. "No more tears," She mused, "I am here."

The child wiped her nose excessively before resting back into her lap.

"Why do you want to follow the path of a Lanayru Virgin?" She pondered.

Naru licked her lips, and rubbed the back of her hands. "I just want to."

Zelda searched for the clever words that so bountifully fell so effortlessly from her grandmother's lips. "Then I do not see a reason for not pursuing it just because an ignorant boy tried to be a bully."

No response. Childhood was such a complicated time. Such fragile innocence and hearts still learning to deal with such strong emotions that come with life.

"I did not laugh at you," Zelda cracked a smile.

"...Neither did Colin." Her brows raised.

"See?"

"And Beth got mad at Talo when he made fun of me." Naru sat up straighter, a light turning on within her mind. She then stood, her usual fire ignited, and she turned to Zelda and stared at her with newfound passion. "I'm going to become the best Lanayru Virgin there ever was!"

Zelda, not very sure what she did or even if her actions were what created this reaction, stood up and brushed the grains off her skirt. That was when Naru got close and looked up at her with wide eyes and a partially opened mouth.

"You're really nice," she smiled, "No wonder Big Brother likes you so much."

The air grew humid and her mind jumped to speculation and different interpretations of her words. "Did he tell you that?" She quickly whispered, heart pounding.

Naru must have noticed how much power she had in this moment, for she quickly censored herself and changed the topic. "Big Brother told me that you were a master archer."

Zelda opened her mouth to dig up her last statement, but sensed it was futile. "Archery is one of my skills."

Her sapphire eyes shimmered. "Can you teach me?!"

"Pardon?"

"Big Brother won't show me how to use a bow and arrow, can't you?" She beamed, running over to a nearby bush and pulling out a bow the size of her body. She tried to notch an arrow, only to have it fall limply from her fingers.

"How about you wield and I coach you?" Zelda offered, mentally exhausted and unwilling to ruin another good time.

"Okay!" Naru cheered, getting into position. The basic bow looked familiar, and puzzled, she tried to imagine where she got a weapon too large for her body.

"Notch your arrow," The monarch commanded, walking over to place the stick on the rest so it didn't fall, "Have your legs shoulder-width apart, and bend you elbows to reduce the chance of a frictional burn."

Naru corrected herself accordingly, allowing the woman to adjust her limbs to the appropriate position like a doll.

"Your bow is an extension of your body, so don't be afraid to pull back on it. Once you're ready, let go, and allow your arrow to take control." Zelda felt she was acting through the child, the spontaneity of archery consuming her. When the young girl pulled back, Zelda's muscles tightened; and as the arrow whistled through the air, she heard music. It lodged itself into a tree, and the thump it made synced with her heart beat.

"Look princess, I did it!" Naru celebrated, throwing her hands in the air and jumping about.

"Good job," Zelda smiled, "Your brother will be impressed."

She sharply stopped, her joy replaced with concern. "Could you not tell Big Brother?"

…

Her request, although innocent and without crime, left a bitter taste in the princess's mouth. The bow belonged to the Hero is what she discovered shortly afterwards, but theft isn't what made Naru's pale skin cyanotic. Why was she hiding her interests from Link? She chewed on the thought briefly, but the hearty aroma that filled her nostrils took control.

She and Naru entered his home with aching bellies, the room toasty from an open fire. It looked like an indoor treehouse, and not because it was built within a tree, but because of the simplicity of it. Yet it still looked like a boy's room with odds and ends decorating it all. He had no walls, nor staircases, but ladders and platforms; an interesting and unheard-of design for the princess.

Link was occupied with a cooking cauldron, but when he saw the two girls come in, he smiled. Ilia was leaning on the counter beside him, and Zelda wasn't sure how she felt about the prospect of them alone together – that was, until a shameful Talo and Malo were spotted at her hip.

"Good evening Your Majesty," She greeted, "And you too, Naru."

"What are you doing here Ilia?" The child wondered, looking scornful at the brothers.

Ilia smirked, folding her arms and leering at her prisoners. "I heard you weren't treated very nicely today, so these two came to apologize – right, boys?"

"Yes ma'am." They groaned begrudgingly.

"Well," she snapped, "Go on."

The two walked forward and commenced their well-practiced apology. The blonde matriarch went to stand beside the thoughtful brunette and rolled her eyes with a sigh. "These kids, I swear. Their poor mothers." She chuckled jokingly, emerald eyes shimmering at the sight of the three reconciling.

"This is very nice of you to do, Ilia. Naru was very upset," Zelda nodded her head in thanks.

"My pleasure. With their parents working all the time, these kids need some guidance," she pulled some short hair behind her ear, "What about your parents? I mean I know about the King, sort of...But your mother, what is she like?"

Her body failed to react. "She died when I was a baby," she lied. _She might as well have._

Ilia's face contorted sadly. "Oh Gods, I'm sorry, I just thought she never went public!"

The conversation ended shortly after, and as the kids made up and started to laugh together, the mayor's daughter rounded them up and said farewell. Dinner then commenced, Zelda being asked to sit beside Naru and thus across from Link. The open fire keep the room in a cozy glow, and when the hero served her, she was delighted to see it was pumpkin soup!

He gave a gawky grin that apologized for the mundaneness of the meal.

"No worries, it is my favorite actually."

To this he perked up, and together the three began to eat. Like most children Naru had a bad case of diarrhea of the mouth, and spent the most time vocalizing about her day and interesting things she'd seen – all the while Link and the princess listened attentively for the cues to add their own comment to the dialogue. They would all laugh now and then, Zelda's icy front slowly melting and allow her a more easy experience. She was having fun with them, telling the occasional small story of her own before returning to her comfort of lending an ear. After a while, she began to feel something in the pit of her stomach.

At first she thought it could be gas – to which she prayed to all the Gods to not forsaken her – but when it moved to her chest she thought differently. It was warm and fluffy-like, nostalgic in the most childish way. She felt like she was part of a family.

When they were in the midst of a giggle fit, she took a fleeting instant to keep still with eyes open. If only she was a painter, able to capture this moment forever in her mind, or have eyes made from a pictobox, so when she blinked the photo would be her most prized possession. A state of pure bliss interluded by laughter that she happily was able to share with two people who were growing to be very close to her. As the night grew older, Naru was visited by the fairy of sleep, and Link left to put her to bed. He picked her up and carried her away, giving a quick glance to assure his return.

Zelda looked down at her empty bowl and licked the remaining contents off her lips, and stood up to stretch. _This will be one of my most treasured memories,_ she assured herself.

Link reappeared, and with goodness in his cobalt pools, motioned to the door with his elbow held out for her to grab.

"Wait," she held out her hand, flicking her wrists to manifest his bow and quiver, "She did not wish for me to tell you; however, I do not think hiding something so unimportant from you is right. So here is your bow."

He looked at it and gave a heavy sigh, taking it back with thanks before glancing to the side. "Again?" There was a tiredness.

"She does this often?"

He nodded. "I told her I would teach her archery when she gets older. But right now, I want her to enjoy being a kid."

"I understand, allowing I must apologise, I helped her learn a little."

He faked a big grin. He didn't blame her, she had no way of knowing.

"But I must ask: why not teach her now?"

He faced the side and rubbed his neck harshly. Zelda knew that look very well, the way he glanced up like a wounded animal after being beaten. It wasn't as extreme as she experienced it – his was rational and held substance – but she knew this was his demon. In that one look, she saw that he feared her learning a weaponry skill because that would inspire her to go and explore; and he knew very well that not everyone returned home from adventures. He feared losing those close to him: friends, family, anyone he knew the names of at least, because four years ago they were snatched from him without warning, and he acknowledged that he got lucky that time.

There was a moment of clarity where she realized that as glamorous as the legends were, there wasn't always valor for the Hero. He never wanted that responsibility; he was forced into it, and by sheer necessity he accepted it – accepted his predestined fate.

She stepped forward, not really sure what to say or do.

"You have a point," He swallowed hard, "She should know how to defend herself...I'll talk to Rusl about it later…" Link didn't want the matter to be pressed any farther. They left his home quietly, the sky holding scattered diamonds and air still in sleep.

They walked together, and although he didn't offer his arm, he would check up on her face from time to time. He'd look back to make sure she was still following him, and when their eyes met, he quickly turned to face forward and would slow down so they reached the same speed. The Mayor's home wasn't far off and this made her disappointed. She wanted more time to try and diffuse the tension she had created between them from her actions, yet she knew herself well enough to know that even with a century at her fingertips, she would never be able to say what she felt. That was just who she was.

When they finally reached the porch, he bowed lowly to her, peering up to try and read her. She assumed he was confused by her unmoving facade, he wanted some indication of what she was thinking, but that information was something she was raised to be privy about. He watched her, likewise she saw him.

She felt a fire light beneath her, and in a snap she stepped forward, carefully wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face against his. She felt him tense as she brushed her lips against his in a soft kiss that sparked an inferno within them. He wrapped his arms around her waist and his mouth grew hungrily. She complied, giving herself to him and allowing raw instinct take over. It was hot and wet and uncaring of anything else; they were the only people in the world, and she allowed herself to forget her harsh reality in that kiss.

 _No, that didn't happen either,_ she thought to herself, breaking free from her daydream. What really happened was after his bow he stepped off the porch and waved farewell to her with a kind and understanding smile. He told her that her fears of bad blood were nothing, and when he walked back home, she entered the Mayor's, ready to put an end to this bittersweet day. She'd still embarrassed herself, she'd still caused the Hero to relive bad memories, and she was still betrothed to an unfair fate. Tomorrow would be a new day.

…

Ilia was kind enough to fool Alger into believing that she had attended the dinner at Link's home, so at least she was free of lectures from him or her nursemaids. When she entered her temporary quarters, she was relieved to be able to discard her dress and many complicated layers associated with her outfit. She undid her hair and placed her diadem safely near her clothing for the ceremony tomorrow.

Sitting down in only her sleeveless chemise, she began to work on the strings of her corset. Once free of her bindings, she stayed placidly, pining after the guidance of her favorite nursemaid. Closing her eyes, she tried to envision the wise words of her elder, only to sigh at the irony that the Triforce of Wisdom-bearer needed advice. She tried to enter a realm of total tranquility and allow herself to feel without fear.

She exhaled all those thoughts and memories that made her lungs ill and putrid, inhaling only fresh new life. When her mind settled, she began to pray to her Goddesses faithfully.

 _Tat!_ She opened one eye and scanned the area.

 _Tat Tat!_ Zelda jumped out of her seat and summoned her estoc, pointing it to the sounds at her window. She narrowed her eyes and lowered her blade, cautiously walking toward it, only to jump back from the sharp _Tat!_ of pebbles hitting the glass.

* * *

 **I know, I'm sorry, I hate to put a cliffy no matter how small!**

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 **Love you all, See you next month!**


	7. Chapter 6

**[PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO READ ENDING AUTHORS NOTE FOR IMPORTANT UPDATE INFORMATION]**

 **Hello my lovely readers, it's everyone's favorite (hopefully) time of the month again! Update time! I will be doing something different this time to create more space for the ending note; the wonderful readers who reviewed, favorited, followed (or all three) will be listed here in the beginning. Those joys are:**

 **Bobomber Jack, idkanything, ChroniclerOfFantasies, SweetestChick, Hylian Cup Champion, SunnyAirisu222, espeonlover, BlazePyro, and VainGlory0.**

 **Thank you all once again loves! Sadly it seems the last chapter didn't receive as many wonderful reviews as the others had (Please tell me I don't suck that bad D: just joshing you) but this chapter is a good one, I promise ;)**

 **Let's get right into it!**

* * *

 _Tat!_ She opened one eye and scanned the area.

 _Tat Tat!_ Zelda jumped out of her seat and summoned her estoc, pointing it to the sounds at her window. She narrowed her eyes and lowered her blade, cautiously walking toward it, only to jump back from the sharp _Tat!_ of pebbles hitting the glass.

Her eyebrows raised, and she reached for her satin bathrobe to hide her undergarments from whomever was bothering her so late in the night. Vigilantly, she opened the window and poked her head out into the fresh night air. The village lay resting down below, stagnant and without the occasional chatter of unmentionable activity.

"Hey!" A voice whispered loudly, pulling her attention down below to the front porch of the Mayor's home. The Hero stood below, still in his rancher uniform with his hands on his hips.

"Hero?" She verbally jumped, "Are you aware of the current hour?"

He put a finger to his lips and pointed to the front door where the crowing of Alger kept inhabitants wide awake. "You should know that the King will not be happy with how familiar you people are becoming to the princess! Just because she is your daughter, Mayor, does not permit her the authority to justify a member of the royal family masticating with two commoners!" Ilia was then heard arguing back, and Zelda looked away in embarrassment toward the words of her courtier.

Link waved his arms at her to get her attention, and when successful, he motioned her to come outside.

"At this hour? Why?" She asked flatly.

"It's a surprise." He smiled.

She blinked with her unmoving expression, thinking about how she couldn't walk out the front door so late at night. "Wait just a moment," Zelda requested. Stepping back into the guest bedroom and securely tightening her robe, the rebellious urge she was denied as a teen flowered to the surface. Princess Zelda held her hands and asked for Farore's winds to carry her to the front porch, but to her avail, she still felt too mentally drained to successfully perform any magic that was strenuous; an uncomfortable memory crept up as to what would happen if she used it. So thinking fast, her eyes caught the basket of fancy linens her handmaids had left and an idea was born.

The Hero was surprised when he saw a rope of fabric cascade from the window like a maiden's long locks, and doubled in awe when Zelda climbed down with it. He held out a hand to her, and she graciously took it to aid in her landing. With a dry expression, she explained, "I have a curfew."

He nodded in understanding and began to guide her toward the completed wedding altar in the front yard of the water mill. Her lungs tightened, but when they walked past it, she relaxed in faint disappointment. Instead, they stopped at the dock to the village lake behind the waterwheel, the water so beautiful that its reflection had you question which was the sky and which was the water. He turned to face her, his smile shining through the darkness of night with dazzling beams of goodness. He was staring at her loose hair, specifically at the way it curled and waved the moment it reached her hip. His eyes shimmered, he thought it looked pretty down.

She nodded, "Would thou please answer as to why you have brought me here, Hero?"

He chagrined but quickly shifted to glee. "I thought after today you would like some fun, so I wanted you to share my favorite pastime when I was a kid with you."

Her heart fluttered in celebration that he thought her deserving of this moment. "I am truly honored Hero, that is very kind of you. " Zelda lowered her head in reverence, but when she raised up, she was greeted with an odd sight. The Hero was removing his shirt, and piece by piece he began to undress until only in his shorts. Heat blossomed everywhere, and calmly she turned around so not to make a scene and tried to think of things other than the sight of his toned flesh he so easily exposed to her. The question of what exactly this pastime was and why it needed such lewdness from his part made her very uncomfortable. That was until she heard a loud splash behind her.

To her relief he had jumped into the water, disrupting its serene state to make the stars appear to be shooting. _Swimming_ , she mentally sighed and then scolded herself for thinking her Hero to be nothing more than just a lecherous man.

Link swam to the surface, and gave a contentful intake of air. His hair became a dark brown, and he pushed it away from his eyes. "The water's great!" He commented, motioning her to jump.

She wrapped her robe around her lithe figure and took a step back. Half of her didn't dream of doing such a thing as disrobe in front of a man, let alone one who wasn't her husband; yet the defiant half that possessed her soothed her worries. It was just a swim, nothing more. She was not going to be nude, just her chemise. She needed to allow herself a moment of fun.

"Turn around." She ordered. He looked at her oddly, but when she began to undo her sash, he quickly turned to give her much appreciated privacy. Gingerly, she removed her robe and allowed it to fall into a snow-like puddle at her feet. Once open to the night and the heavens, she gathered what little courage she had left and ran onto the dock, swan diving into the water without a second thought. She submerged herself into the icy waters, the frigidness awakening her and causing a open feeling within her chest. Zelda swam to the surface and gave a loud gasp, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and shivering, ivory skin turning a slight blue.

Link cheered at her, and swam to lessen their distance. Her teeth chattered, and long hair floated around her like chiffon. "You are mistaken Hero, it is freezing." She commented, staying stationary in the water.

He looked at her in concern, but then extended his hands out to her so she could take them. "Only if you stay still," He stated, and timidly she put her palms in his as he slowly led her through the water. Her chemise clung and avoided her body all at once, the iciness that made her shiver eventually adapting into a numb stability. Link released her and she swam by herself, diving under occasionally to try and make her face more used to the water.

"It is not as cold as before, but still a bit uncomfortable," She pushed wet hair out of her face, "However, I am still grateful for you to share this experience with me, Hero," Zelda added, not wanting to offend him. Immediately, she brought her hand to guard her chest after noticing the light fabric of her chemise was beginning to fortuitously reveal the swell of her breasts. She turned scarlet and prayed he hadn't noticed, splashing him accidently.

She gasped, and with dripping hair covering his eyes, he stayed unmoving. "Oh my, I apologize, I–"

He splashed her back with an even larger wave of water. Her tresses surrounded her and hid her face like a puddle of wet petals, dripping and earning the Hero an amused laugh. Zelda submerged and surfaced herself, slicking her hair out of her face and pierced him with her cat-like eyes that mimicked the deep blue of the small lake.

"Is this what amuses you, Hero?" She affirmed provokingly, allowing herself a Mona Lisa's smirk.

In turn he felt her challenge, and preparing himself, he threw a smile of his own. The two veteran warriors observed one another in a dangerous game of chicken. She was no longer cold, but scalding with anticipation each time he tried to fake her into action. Buried in his own focus on catching her off guard, she was able to jump into a surprise offense and rained a maverick wave down upon him. Shaken, but not defeated, he shook the water away and retaliated with his own ferocious splash. This is what conspired between the two for the next few minutes, a wet tango between a princess and her knight. Eventually, as their skin began to prune and lungs choked on the very weapon used to protect them, they made a truce better than the Companions Convention.

They stopped and waded in the water, Link moved to be in front of her and he pushed the hair out of his eyes again, happily. His eyebrows raised with joy that she enjoyed his favorite pastime, and when she hummed a blithe sound, he glowed with warm bliss. His day-sky eyes told her that he liked it when she smiled, no matter how small, especially when he caused it.

The water stilled once more. They stood in the midnight sky and looked into each other's star-filled eyes. Zelda stopped breathing, still trying to pull apart the origin of what his body stated, her interpretation too biased to stir any different action other than stationary uncertainty. Their smiles gradually faded and the small ripples caused from their heartbeats moved in apparent unison, or was it just wishful thinking? He searched her face, but she knew her skin bore an unreadable masquerade, and she could have sworn he moved closer and closer. _If this is a dream, please wake me now,_ she begged, not prepared for the blow she would receive if learning this moment a trick.

"Zelda?" He whispered, voice unsure.

"Yes...Link?" She breathed.

" _Midna!" He cried out._

Zelda flinched at the memory of that night. Damn her mind! Damn it for replaying so abusively those moments she yearned to forget! She glanced up at Link whose thoughtful eyes looked away from her. He must have heard her thoughts and memories of his own, for he looked at nothing but saw something, or someone. A reprimanding self loathing made the water boil against her skin, and she dunked down to mask any tears of anger than ran down her face.

When she resurfaced, Link smiled wistfully at her, and wondered if she had had a good time tonight.

To which she replied, "Yes I did, my thanks," – hiding her internal storm with the well-crafted facade she perfected.

Link glanced up and jumped back, startled, mouth clenching into a frown and eyes closed like a child ready for a beating. Zelda grew concerned, and looking over her shoulder, she saw Alger with a sickly twisted grin and arms crossed.

"Did you enjoy your swim?"

…

She sat obediently in the scalding tub as she was bathed roughly by her handmaidens who scrubbed her skin as if sullied with sin. Alger paced on the other side of the privacy screen, grumbling in distaste.

"To think," he spat, "that a princess could have been seen half-naked with some farmhand!"

They baptised her in scented oils and soaps. One of the handmaids jumped in, "Hylia reborn should only have her body seen by the eyes of the help in her care, not men brimming in lust!"

"You speak as if I were a harlot; and may I remind you that this man you speak of is not only a knight, but the Hero of Hyrule," She turned her head to the women, "And he has been nothing less than a gentlemen, thus he deserves respect." They turned her face away and ran their fingers through her hair and dropped water on her head.

She could feel Alger roll his eyes. "Poppycock; if he was so chivalrous, he wouldn't have led you to sneak out. It only proves the King's point of how useless knighthood is anymore."

"Nude or not, Your Highness, you were indecent and broke curfew," They started to pick the dirt from beneath Zelda's nails.

The room suffocated her with steam from both the bath and her courtier's rage. She couldn't see him, but knew his face was crimson and feathers ruffled like a raptor. He talked to himself with the intent that she would overhear him, "...Running around like some floozzy rather than a dignitary!"

Zelda kept her composure as the handmaidens gasped at the man accusation. "Although I was put under your care, you have no right to slander your princess's name that way." The water became icy, and the royal party grew very uncomfortable toward the detachment in tone of her words that dangerously mixed with the passion her energy radiated.

Alger cleared his throat, "King Daphnes will not be pleased, princess," he gasped, "Imagine what your betrothed would think if he discovered this scandal?!"

Her voice jumped an octave, "No need, I would be more than ecstatic to tell them both for you! I am a grown adult, should I not be able to do as I please without daddy-dearest's permission?"

"What has gotten into you?" He growled.

"I have refused to be a pawn in my father's game of political chess, that is what!" She stood and the water fell from her clean skin in clear droplets until the women began to dry her.

He chuckled maliciously. "I knew it, this has all been an excuse to conspire against him, hasn't it!"

"Believe what you want," She wrapped her bathrobe around her and began to walk toward the door, looking at Alger from his side of the privacy screen, "I know I may never convince you otherwise."

"Know your place, Princess. You're just a figurehead, so get used to that idea. Hyrule no longer needs silly legends to take care of itself, let alone a little princess who thinks she's more than she really is."

They caught each other's look in a treacherous staring contest. It was in this moment that he replaced his feathers for scales, and his voice hissed like a snake. He lost with a blink, and in defeat, curled his lips devilishly. "This disgusting village has a bad effect on you. When this wedding has ended, we are leaving immediately, and you will _**never**_ be seeing that man again."

...

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere. In this unknown, the feeling of heaviness is imminent, choking and paralyzing. A pair of large eyes made of flames stares down at her, unblinking and unforgiving, just watching as she stands still in the nothingness. Its terrifying blaze begins to bleed from the floor and lick at her heels. The fire grows larger and larger until it's a field of inferno, and standing in it's destruction is a man with his back to her – his hair red like the flames and skin grey as ash. The corrupt Gerudo King looks at her over his shoulder, grinning; in his chest lay evil's bane impaled within him, and from the wound oozes a shadow, his reflection. He laughs madly, but above him glows a bright and holy light. Both him and his shadow continue to stare at her as she covers her eyes. Three orbs fall from up above and separate, one hitting her as it rushed by – blue fills her vision, and three statuettes erect themselves from shadow. Two are grimy and worn, the third is pristine. There's a twinge of pain, and looking down, blood covers her abdomen whilst a man stands in front of her, crying out her name. And as the droplets hit the floor, they form the Triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light._

Zelda awoke from her nightmare with a shrill scream.

"Princess, are you alright?!" Ilia banged on her door and spoke in concern.

Her heart palpitated as she gasped for breath, peering through the dark room lit only by the rising sun. "I am fine. 'Twas a night terror is all, please do not worry." Her voice quivered in unison with her hands.

 _It was going so well,_ she covered her eyes with her hands in self aggravation. It had been a few days without these accursed nightmares, thus she was mentally unprepared from the assault. Why would it choose to bother her now? She lay unmoving in the bed made of hay, and let her mind relax and allow the fictional images flow out of her with each breath.

Just as she was about to return to much needed slumber, the cucco crowed the valley into awakening. She considered breaking her vows by harming an innocent creature with malicious intent.

The handmaids burst into the room with ceremonial attire in their arms and smiles on their faces. She heard the rest of the village burst into action as well, putting the finishing touches on the altar and looking for their best clothes. Her help pulled her out of bed and started to probe and poke and tie – eight hands fumbling about to complete the same action on the princess's body that she could very well do herself. Zelda watched them struggle to cinch the same white corset of her priestess robe through the tall mirror they placed into the room.

Zelda pretended she was being dressed for her own wedding with the man she loved. That the altar outside was laced in roses – her favorite – instead of oak branches and stalks of gladiolus flowers. Would she be an anxious bride? Or would she be glowing in joy at the thought of staring into her husband's sun-filled eyes till her last breath? She masqueraded this for a few moments - her handmaids became bridesmaids, and her carriage was prepared for a much-awaited honeymoon. She canvassed a scene with smiles and dancing in the arms of her choosing, and after the night was over, they would begin a happy family and live a life without duty, without tragedy, and without sadness. But the cucco always crows, and eventually all awaken from their dreams.

"There, all done! We just need your hair–" The handmaiden went to brush through Zelda's long strands, but the princess sharply grabbed the brush and insisted she was capable of doing it on her own. The ladies-in-waiting eyed her oddly, but were beginning to understand that they should not go against the Rose's wishes in the realm of beauty.

Facilely, she went through the motions of her usual hairstyle; however, this time wrapping the strands by her face in lilac ribbon rather than white. Placing her crown atop her forehead, she inspected her ceremonial robes closely. A long white dress with an off-the-shoulder neckline and large trumpet sleeves hung off her modestly, the thick gold triforce necklace hiding her collarbone. Webbed metal cuffs adorned with jewels holding a purple hue matched the ribbon in her hair, and she brought her hand up to see the tanned birthmark proudly visible. She doubted Zelda the First wore an outfit so glamorous as she followed Hylia's call, but nonetheless, she wore the traditional dress proudly.

"Alger said to meet him downstairs m'lady."

Zelda nodded and started to the door. Just as she walked into the dining area she heard her courtier's scratchy voice.

"Now listen here, _boy._ I could care less if you were teaching her how to breathe! A princess has no place spending time alone with any man other than her father or husband, do you understand?!" He poked the young man who took his scolding like a dog.

Link hunched his shoulders and looked to the side with lowered brows, just taking the verbal beating in his evergreen tunic. The thought of the man who slays the King of Darkness allowing himself to be beaten by a scrawny bird man was quite amusing for a time. When he finally looked up, his eyes darted to take in her image as she walked toward them. His eyes widened like the sky, and his mouth opened as he looked at her.

"Good morning Hero, did you sleep well?" She smiled, secretly pleased by his reaction.

Alger turned and opened his mouth, his thinning hair slicked back like a hackle, but Link stepped forward and moved him to the side, just looking into her eyes. He grinned happily, for he thought she looked beautiful.

"Thank you very much." Zelda tilted her head down to hide her blush. Her whole life she had been called beautiful by every person she met, to the point where the word was nothing more than a sound made from tongue pressing against palate and teeth, but when his soul said it rather than mouth, it made the word new.

"Bleh," Alger made a disgusted sound, shoving a large bag into Link's hands. "This is the Princess's clothing. Go put it on your saddle since I doubt the princess will be riding in the carriage on our way home because _heavens forbidden_ she actually listens to reason." He stormed off, but Link didn't appear fazed.

"I was thinking I would escort you to the altar," He held out his elbow to her, setting the bag down to worry about later.

"Oh? I see you know the origin of this tradition?" She turned her head.

He nodded. "Hylia needs a knight to ward off evil."

She gladly agreed, linking arms with him as they exited the home and headed to Jaggle's where the few guests began to sit. When they reached the altar, she stood facing the eager crowd of villagers, and Link went to stand a few paces to her left in attention. There was silence when Rusl's front door opened, and the couple walked in unison toward the congregation. They stopped just before, Ashei adorning a regal white gown and blade at her hip and Shad with tunic of the same shade. They looked skittish yet jubilant, continuously glancing at each other in yearning. Rusl and Uli went to stand on each side of the couple and placed a crown made of evergreen oak leaves on their heads and connected both with a red ribbon.

The couple then walked forward again, stopping at the altar and getting on their knees to look up at Zelda who watched patiently. She then extended out her arms and stated, "Brothers and sisters, we are here today to honor the gift our Gods shall bestow upon the two before me, the gift of an eternity together!"

They beamed at each other, and Zelda waved her marked hand above them, and by the light that erupted from her skin, the leaves blossomed into varying flowers. The crowd erupted in awe.

"Farore has spoken!" Zelda announced, "With these blossoms, she blesses thee with the courage to enter forth the mysteries of life in unity and support of one another."

The crowd applauded, yet held their breath as she walked to the standing reliquary behind her and removed the red candle from within. She turned and held it up for all to see. A gust of wind came forth, and the couple panicked, but the flame danced gleefully until it passed.

"Din has spoken!" She brought it down and moved her finger through and around the flame, "With her eternal flame still burning with your love, thou art blessed with the power to overcome all obstacles with the fire inside your joint souls."

Another round of applause, Ashei and Shad sighing in relief. "May the children please come forward," Zelda asked. Naru and Beth quickly walked with large buckets of sloshing water in their arms and stopped before the couple.

"The final test. With the water taken from the sacred spring, held by the hands of innocence," She waved her hand above the water and lit it with heavenly light, "Look and see. If you do not see your reflection, thou art selfless enough to receive Nayru's blessing of wisdom to better yourself to aid your spouse."

Shad gulped hard, but Ashei was fearless, practically dunking her head into the water. Shad quickly followed, and Zelda walked to stand behind their kneeling forms to see the results. Neither bucket had a reflection, and she happily announced it to be so.

"Nayru has spoken!" The crowd applauded loudly. "With these three blessings given to you by the Goddesses, your souls are united!"

The girls took the buckets and dunked the water over the couple's heads, soaking them in spring water. "And with this water, you are reborn as husband and wife!"

The congregation roared into complete euphoria, standing and hugging one another happily. Shad and Ashei exchanged a long kiss as he twirled her around. Zelda looked to Link who looked at her until the children ran to jump and celebrate with him. She wasn't sure what that look of his meant, but was too high on the uncontainable happiness from these simple folks to ponder too much about it.

Yet as these festivities raged forth, little did they know that far in the distance, in a dry desert, someone lay still in a cave, speaking words they did not know, and the earth trembled in fear of what was being unleashed.

…

When the ceremony concluded, the festivities began, and before she could blink, her present world was filled with hearty music and dances she knew nothing about. The band played their long drums and lutes with happy gusto that inspired the guests to jump around with the same untamable joy. Zelda watched them from her seat, keenly in interest of what they were doing.

As a princess, she had attended her fair share of parties, but the court were people of rules and no nonsense. Dancing and music were always stiff and uncomfortable; the black nag, basse dancing; if it had a name, it was drilled into her DNA to know it. They were never fun or lively, just another set of movements done to please the older ruling class in the idea that maybe courtship would come out of it if the moves were completed just right.

However, just like formal balls, the wedding guests came and saluted the princess in reverence. She smiled, gave them her blessing, and waited for the next – more humble than the previous – to repeat the action. They did it out of respect, rather than self promotion and she appreciated that.

"Your Highness!" Ilia waved from afar with a beau's arm wrapped around her own. From the looks of him, she could tell he grew from a family of very successful merchants making their way into baronship. When he saw her, he bowed lowly with a frightened disposition, possibly used to the sneers and scoldings from the occasional lord his family had rubbed elbows with to try and better their name.

"This is Elric, who I told you about." Ilia shouted again, pointing at the brunet.

Zelda smiled and nodded her head, unsure what response would be appropriate. She was never introduced to someone who was ten feet away. They seemed happy together, she could see the amour with each passing glance between the two. It was then that Rusl approached her, having parted from his wife on the dance floor with tired eyes.

"May I sit here?" He asked, pointing to the picnic bench she perched attentively on.

"Be my guest," she responded, turning back to see Link and Naru dancing together happily. Their elbows were hooked as they skipped around in a circle, switching sides and jumping about. She smiled when she saw how low Link needed to bend to reach her, yet still did it to only see her laugh. His eyes showed he really cared for the little girl.

"She's a good kid, isn't she?" Rusl interjected, arms crossed.

"Yes, she is," The bride and groom handed her a drink along with others, "I see great things in her future with the Hero's guidance."

The warrior nodded and politely rejected the glass of wine. "Link's really matured after his quest and has proved to be a real man. I'm sure he'll be a great father someday."

Zelda took a long swig of the sweet liquor to blur the face of the future mother and hide her minute envy.

"What about you, princess? Thought about having children of your own soon?" He wondered.

She choked on the alcohol and covered her mouth as she coughed unattractively. Rusl tried to smother a snicker that jumped out. "I'm sorry," he tried to say," I forget you are still young, especially by Hylian standard."

"No, no, it is alright, the question had just caught me off guard is all. But I do agree with you, I feel it is still very early for me to consider the prospect anytime soon. I have barely reached my second decade, whereas my grandmother had my father halfway through her first century. Plus, we Hylian women are not very fertile." She drifted into thought.

He nodded, "I feel sorry for the Hylians that fall in love with a human. We only live to be about eighty years old, yet your people would live without their lover for the next century. The sacrifice of love I suppose."

Zelda, still caught in the other conversation, added, "Even if I did have a child, I doubt I would be the one to care for them. My mother hardly even looked at me, let alone fought to have me in her arms. My grandmother raised me until she was too frail to do so, and even in her deathbed, I gained her wisdom." The thought of having Prince Harod's child made her sick, and she took a large gulp to drown it away.

His eyes softened, "I had no idea your mother just ignored you. I assumed she died in childbirth since we never heard from her."

She chuckled darkly. "No, she was very much alive, but I believe she did not want me. I was just a pawn to earn her special treatment and acceptance from the noble circle. She held some human blood, you see. A Lord's bastard with a common maid, yet very beautiful and ambitious. My father is a lustful man, he wanted her and she wanted a better life, but knew that she would not be cared for as a duchess unless she gave the heir to the throne an heir of his own. Give herself purpose so to say... Seems it worked a little too well for his tastes – when I was born, the court was pleased, and when my grandmother gave me the right to the throne when I came of age, they forgot my mother's past completely. She was free to divulge in her dreams, but not even her blonde hair and half-pointed ears could save her from drowning in her spirits on my thirteenth birthday."

"So she _is_ dead?"

She nodded,"Yes, not like it made a difference though. Whether in childbirth or later in life, it all feels the same...Could you not mention this to anyone? There are some things that should not leave the castle halls."

"Of course." He agreed, understanding very well her intentions of not sullying the Royal Family's face.

Another awkward silence, and she downed the white wine now to blur the feminine face she could not remember, but stopped after feeling reminiscent of someone she hated.

"So...You must have gone to many weddings in the castle. What are they like compared to us common folk?" He chuckled, waving to his son who danced around with the other children.

"Unnecessarily flamboyant...And rigged," She shook hands with Mayor Bo as he passed by her, "The ceremony is made so all trials are positive by wearing crowns already made of flowers, using murky water, and lighting the candle the morning of the wedding. However, the noble lineages were never formed from true love, just business, so a compromise needed to be made to keep the illusion of divinity." She shrugged, and Rusl nodded his head in understanding of the situations.

"A lot of people yearn to be part of that world. Luckily, we've raised our kids to never be ashamed of where they come from. I can see with riches and status you lose something as well." The smell of freshly-cooked cakes whiffed in the air.

"Our world functions on balance," Zelda quipped, wanting the conversation to set with the sun that marked her return to that grey universe.

The warrior took the hint, and clapped as the song came to an end. The guests appeared worn out, yet as the next song began, they freshened, finding new partners to prance with. Ilia jumped and pulled the shy Elric up from his shirt collar and held her arm up, he doing the same until they were crossed. Zelda turned her head, finding similarities to dances she found familiar.

She wanted to keep watching, but a figure stood in her way. She tried to look around him, making a face of disinterest at the man who dare think he had a chance to seduce a princess.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked, outstretching his palm.

Her angry eyes snapped up, but softened at a sunny face. "Me?" She pointed to herself, looking back at the dancing couple, "Oh no Hero, I could not. I know nothing of this dance."

Link extended another hand, promising he would teach her.

"You should go Your Highness, it would be fun!" Rusl encouraged the nervous monarch.

She glared at the two of them before taking a large gulp of the remaining wine in her chalice. They both laughed and she took his hand, her body humming with courage.

He walked her to the dance floor, the drums hard in rhythm and flutes upbeat. She watched the others as they stood forearm-to-forearm, walking half a circle and then switching arms. Link positioned himself the same, and she followed, picking up her white skirt as they moved slowly and transitioned into a happy skip. Halfway through the circle they jumped to switch sides, and his eyes twinkled, impressed.

"I am doing fine?" She queried, he nodded with a devilish grin ghosting his face.

The princess was surprised by the expression but understood it the moment their cross broke, and like the other men, he put his hand to her waist and grabbed her hand, prancing them both forward four steps. She was taken aback, but tried not to step on him as he glided her across the way. He then broke away from her, and she stood unsure as he and the other men stood in line.

It was then Ilia came to grab her hand as well as the other women, and they skipped in a circle, stopping for a step to clap. Then they skipped with their palms together, another clap. Zelda was becoming dizzy quickly, and as the girls spun to exit their group and reunite with their partner, she stayed dazed.

That was when Link came from behind, placing her hand on top of his and leading an excited ballroom-like dance.

"This is very complicated," Zelda panted.

He smiled for her to relax and trust him. She allowed herself to do so, and found as they jumped around with no set pattern that she enjoyed the spontaneity of it all. It seemed they were making the dance up as they went along, and that was a pleasure she was unfamiliar with. Their bodies were pressed firmly together, her skin beading with sweat and his cheeks flushing, yet they were so high on the nirvana of the day that they dared not to stop.

She laughed when he twirled her, but the hands that caught her were not rough from ranch work. The top of Jaggle's head was visible, and looking down, she saw him to be in a drunken euphoria. Link shrugged his shoulders and he danced with Sera now.

She was twirled again, but this time caught a small varicose hand within her own. Naru gave her a wink and skipped about, pulling the princess to follow her. When they reached Sera, Naru jumped to grab the plump woman as a dance partner, and push Zelda into Link's arms. They blushed, but probably just from the physical exercise, and continued to gambol with one another. The princess felt a growing intimacy she did not originally see in dance, and when he saw her with his eyes she prayed this moment would never end.

He smiled at her, and she him.

"I like to see you smile." He told her again.

They slowed down, and as they caught their breath, the oddest thing happened. The earth gave a loud and terrifying rumble – the band stopped and the people made concerned sounds. Zelda and Link broke free, bodies on alert when things stilled and the world grew unnaturally quiet. This was a familiar and eery silence, the sun still setting in the sky.

Everyone seemed to watch the gate in alarm, and Link moved to hold his arm out across Zelda. A loud boom echoed through the valley and the group gasped in fear when a swarm of hideous Bokoblins and Bulblins rushed into the village with weapons flailing.

"Stations everyone!" Mayor Bo cried out, and the village moved to action, prepared now for anything. The Resistance members attacked the creatures head-on, but their numbers seemed endless, yet as they pooled in a plethora of traps scattered around, the village sprung to life. Women and children were evacuated, the soldiers running with them, but Zelda knew there were too many coming in.

Link drew his sword and leaped into battle, the creatures looking at him with a fiery vendetta. Out of pure instinct, she summoned her bow, and with all her magic, she shot an arrow of blinding light to an oncoming clot of Bulblins, turning them to ash. Her head became disorientated, and Link called out to her as Bokoblins ran to surround her. Another flick of her wrist, her estoc was free of ghosts but became coated with the essence of enemies she took down with ease. She wasn't given time to think. Rusl called for them all to retreat; but instead, Zelda ran to Link's side so they were back-to-back, swords outstretched. The creatures rained their clubs and blades down, but the two moved as one organism to mow them down one-by-one.

"Big Brother!" Naru's squeamish voice cried in terror. She was cornered by a large red Bokoblin whose mouth salivated heavily. In fear, she punched it square in the face, and although it made an injured cry, it grew agitated.

"Naru!" Zelda shouted, blocking an incoming blade and kicking the goblin in the gut. She left Link's side and dodged creature-by-creature, using one's body as a shield while she bulldozed through them in throbbing adrenaline. Naru was finally in view, and Zelda fletched the blade deep through the monster's rib cage as its ashy blood splattered and casted it aside.

Naru looked up with soot on her face, shaking from her innocence being stolen from her. She had never witnessed a creature die; this was the first time she watched life leave something's eyes. Zelda had no time to mourn, only grab the child and dash back to Link.

Epona ran through the commotion to reach her distressed rider, panicking when a home caught aflame from a fire arrow.

"Go now! Get out of here!" Rusl commanded, Ashei keeping the creatures distracted from the trail out of the village to aid their escape.

Link took Naru and put her on Epona's back, the creature antsy in fear.

"Get on!" Link told Zelda.

"Not without you!" She argued after seeing there was room for only one more rider. Link's eyes widened, and thrusting behind her, she stabbed an oncoming enemy.

"You need to get out of here!"

"I am not leaving anyone behind again!"

One of the creatures sounded a low horn, and grinned a toothless jeer at the group. Naru cried, and Link pushed Zelda up onto the horse, holding Epona's reins to run her through the trail and away from the monsters. Link's home was also burning like a sick effigy for the Bulblins that used its flames to light the arrows they flung at them all.

Zelda hid Naru into her chest as she used small barriers to deflect the weapons only to have her vision falter from fatigue. They reached the bridge, and once halfway across, Link said, "Head to Kakariko, find out what is happening."

"NO!" Naru cried, reaching out to him.

The legion appeared at either end of the bridge now, giving odd cackles. Zelda tried to find a way out of the situation, but before an idea could come, a fire arrow landed by the equestrian's feet, and a Bulblin cut one of the ropes that held the bridge up. The borders twisted beneath them, and Epona reared in a jerk, knocking the girls off her back and Link before running out of harm's way, letting her rider and company fall.

Weightlessness was her companion now, and her mind could not process the bridge becoming smaller and smaller with each drawn-out second. Her heart didn't move, but she did. Looking down, she saw the icy stream and pebbles become a raging river and cold rocks. Looking up she saw Link.

He was saying something, his arms outstretched and eyes frightful as he tried to reach her. Her white dress flailed like a drowning child, and the thought that this would be the last way he saw her caused tears to float from her face toward him. _I must look like Midna now,_ she thought of how they last glimpsed her.

It was then she realized, _I do not want to die._ She extended her arm out to him as well, the water becoming louder and air colder. She tried to hold him, they both struggled to touch one another. He was crying out her name, and she his. Just as their fingertips grazed one another, the world became cold and her vision black.

 _Splash!_

* * *

 **:D Please don't kill me.**

 **Alright now onto the important stuff regarding the June update. See, the end of June and start of July is a special time for me; I will be out of state to attend my annual family reunion. You may be thinking, "So Zel, why do I care?" Well, because I am going to spend so long away from my computer, thus unable to go through the creation and editing process fully, I originally planned to postpone the June update until July 4 (when I would get back from my trip). BUT I would like to think it to be cruel to have you all wait an extended amount of time with this twisty cliff gnawing at your insides, so my amazing beta and I came up with an idea to get you all the update BEFORE I leave. But it's up to you all.**

 **I hate to be this way, but I am an easily discouraged person, and honestly hearing feedback from you all is what keeps me from quitting this project of mine, so I propose this: If I receive 10 ( or more if you'd like) reviews between now and June 24, then I will update on said June 24. However, if this story receives less than 10 reviews after that date, I will update on the already planned July 4. The choice is up to you guys :) I wouldn't mind grinding extra hard to update earlier, but only if you all want it. And PLEASE do not be afraid to give analysis-based reviews. What I mean is that when I write this story I try to make it sound as close to actual literature as I can. I include many symbols and allusions, and hold an attention to syntax and diction for specific reasons. If you think the curtains are blue to symbolize a characters sadness then please feel free to tell me! I love to hear things like that! As an ex IB English student I love to annotate and rip apart the written word, and I hope some of you would like to do the same, and I would love to hear about it! And if you don't want to feel like this is summer homework then please feel free to let me know if you can relate to one of my characters and why! How do the chapters make you feel? What was your favorite scene? Who do you hate? Who do you love? What do you think will happen next? All these little tidbits of information on the connection between my readers and story helps me make better chapters it feels like. Ask me questions even! I will for sure answer them to the best of my ability and hey, maybe I will even mention some of my favorite review contents in later chapters. **

**BUT that's only if you want to ^^ Remember: 10 or more reviews by June 24 = June 24 update; Less than 10 by June 24 = July 4 update. As of this update I have 23 reviews.**

 **My super fab beta: SunnyAirisu222**

 **See you all next time!**


	8. Chapter 7

**I am crying, you guys are so freaking amazing!  
**

 **Just so you know I bought Breath of the Wild when it came out ( I couldn't help myself, but I refuse to play it just yet). You see if I did it would effect my consistent updates (I am a serious procrastinator), and honestly the same thing that happened with Skyward Sword would happen to this story. What I mean is that a couple years back I spent a whole three months re-planning this story to fit the lore mentioned in Skyward Sword because, well, that's what I do. But now I feel the story has evolved to have lore of its own influenced by a select few games, and I would rather not jeopardize that just to please the lore mentioned in BotW. Basically I want to avoid cross-contamination, so I am more than willing to sacrifice the game to produce better material for you all! THAT'S how dedicated I am to this thing (lol what a nerd).  
**

 **Without further ado, here is the early update I promised! ;)**

* * *

 _Splash!_

Gelid water rushed to pull her down by the heavy fabrics of her dress until she was engulfed by grey. Holding her breath, she was tossed around by unforgiving currents, up became down, right became left, and she was bumped unforgivingly against boulders. The icy hold squeezed against her lungs and tried to fill them with water, but with a hard kick, she was able to resurface.

Her loud gasp rippled through the deafening cry of the rapids as it shoved them down its path. Struggling to keep her head above the waves, she looked behind her to see her companions fight to stay up as well. They called out to her, and she to them as their figures grew smaller and smaller.

"Zelda!" Link cried out, glancing to the side to see Naru struggle to stay surfaced. His eyes were frantic and brimming with primal fear as he tried to reach the child. His voice became an echo, and just as she was to respond, the river gagged her into silence. Her clothing felt like sandbags and was snagged in the debris carried by the torrents. Once pulled under again, she tried to see what had her caught, pulling and trying to rip herself free. The skirt did not budge and she started to lose the calmness necessary for these situations.

 _No, not like this!_ She prayed her downfall would not occur in this fashion, for she would return as a ghost and never find peace. Wiggling, she kicked and pulled rocks only to have them fall back down from the harsh currents.

 _I cannot..._ She broke free, but her eyes saw only darkness as she struggled to reach air–

 _They need me._

…

So this is how it felt to die.

An abyssal blackness accompanied by the ghostly pain of your own demise was the last thing she expected when her grandmother spoke of a spirit world. Or maybe this wasn't the spirit world, rather, she was damned for for all her cowardice. No wonder she felt so cold and heavy, skin tight like she received too much sun. She was destined to suffer with her thoughts for eternity.

 _I remember the first time I died._

 _The imp lay unmoving and injured before the rose and the sun, eyes dwindling and breath labored. There was an unspoken air of concern in the room masked by mock courage as she spoke of plans destined to go on without her. The rose was beginning to piece things together, finding truth within the darkness that left her blind, and although it scared her, she knew it necessary._

 _"Please tell me...How do we break...the curse on this one?" The imp asks with sincerity, watching the sun eye the rose in longing for good news._

 _She knew where, yet understood that in her present state, her roots would not permit her to lead him to where he needed to be. The rose reaches to hold the imp's limp hand, and in that simple gesture, admitted she saw her as a friend and equal. It killed her to see the friend she had just gotten to understand suffer for something she could not control._

 _"The master sword." The rose ends her instructions softly, mind preparing itself for what her heart told her needed to be done._

 _It was then the friend gave a request, one the rose dare not take on for it was not written in her destiny. She speaks in riddle of the injured creatures past; sadly glancing at the sun in realization that her time with him will always be short, does the unthinkable._

 _In an act of complete selflessness, she lets go, ending her struggle to keep order for a moment in exchange of giving others an opportunity to create order for a lifetime. The friend looks at her in fear for the rose's life, begging the sun to shine his light to stop her from wilting, but it's no use. Her petals are given to the friend to heal her wounds and make them sisters of purpose and soul, both sides of the same coin._

 _The friend understands her gift, but does not want it; the rose had the gift, but did not need it. And as the sun went to fulfil his destiny, the rose stayed in perpetual darkness, awaiting it to end, kept hopeful by the sight of his light and the friend's promise._

Zelda's eyes shot open and she coughed until water was free of her lungs. She had not died, thankfully, but her weak bones felt like she had, as she floated on the slow-moving river. The sky was stuck in the fiery pink of sunset, clouds moving slower than she with freckles of starlight behind them. For a moment she just watched them fly, trying to piece together her thoughts. A memory appeared of falling from the bridge in an attempt to flee for their life, and she panicked. She moved her heavy limbs and felt she was in waist-deep water, turning to plant her soggy boots firmly to the rocky bottom. She was still dragged forward with the current, finally gaining strength to stay put once she was beneath a stone bridge. Standing up with heavy clothes, she watched bags wade through the water.

The reminder of how the Hero struggled to reach his sister plagued her. "Link," she croaked, shivering and fearful, looking everywhere to find a sliver of proof that they were safe. A large pack that fell from Epona's saddle drifted past her; she grabbed them as best as she could, digging through the contents to find it was her clothes and some of Link's items.

"Gods keep them safe!" She prayed. _Why did they attack? Those creatures haven't attacked a village in years, they're mercenaries at best, not raiders,_ she pondered, looking up to see the sun barely visible on the horizon. Her castle was seen as a giant once more before her eyes. Her mind hurt. She was in the reservoir north of the castle, she could tell from the sight of the mountains hiding Zora's Domain just behind her, yet the river they fell to traveled south...didn't it?

She held her head. "At least you are near home, near answers."

The water still soaking her dress made her skin hurt as it dried against her, and she was briefly glad to see her favorite outfit was tucked snuggly in the bag. Another good thing in a pot of bad.

Splashing occurred behind her, and snapping around, she saw Link try to stand up in the water. The weak princess went to run to him, but he cast a strange look to the side in alert, similar to that of Ashei.

Shrill screams turned her attention back to the capital. There was another earth-trembling boom, and her nightmares became reality. The castle erupted into blazing red flames and tufts of thick black smoke. The world crumbled around her, her mask fell from her face and she gave out a scream so loud her ancestors cringed at the way she died. "NO!" She wailed until her throat became raw, face stretching into an expression of torment it was not used to. Her hands went to bury her fingers into her scalp as she struggled to breathe as the smell of burning flesh filled her nostrils until she wanted to vomit. "You promised!" She accused the Gods, unable to accept that once again she allowed her irrational fears to become real.

Link put a hand over her mouth to muffle her screams as he keep her close, her knees giving out and they both fell over. He held her as she watched in horror at what she had done.

 _I should have never left the castle! People die when I leave the castle!_ Her body went limp as tears fell down her face and she lost her voice. Faces flashed before her eyes: Impaz, the children, the boy who wished for her happiness; all turned to ghosts that would never leave her be due to her apparent curse! She grew hot and cold, splashing around, unable to control her body as she rewatched the life leave her soldiers' eyes again and again within her harsh memories, and acknowledging the same had occurred today, but with civilians unprepared because the age of knights had politically come to an end!

Link still held his hand over her mouth, listening intently for something. The galloping of horses were coming closer, and they too tried to not give away their position as a platoon stopped above them. It was the invaders.

The sky turned black with smoke, and a guttural chuckle was mingled with the crackle of her home burning. She wanted to kill him, she wanted them all dead.

"The princess is our main concern." The voice commanded in a hushed echo, oozing with a sick confidence. Bulblins grunted in response, and the party left, but the commander stayed for a moment. It was then she saw across the reservoir the small figure of a little girl laying on her back, having been pulled out of the water by someone. Her stomach twisted when he didn't leave, praying he wouldn't notice Naru in the distance.

Link released her mouth, and they both stayed pressed against each other in anxiety. There was a whinny, and he left. They gave a huge sigh of relief, and she turned to bury her face in his chest. Link held her tightly as she cried loudly, mumbling incoherently to herself.

"Why?!" She looked up to him with eyes red with tears, "What do they want?"

Link returned her to his chest and rubbed her back. He couldn't tell her why, but he wanted her to not ignore that they were alive, and that was a blessing.

"If I was dead, this would not have happened. I am cursed, Hero, I caused this." She muttered lowly, frozen as the ghosts tried to possess her.

He grabbed her shoulder roughly and made her face him, eyes stern and serious as he warned her to stay far away from such a mentality. She could tell he deeply needed her in this moment, and she blushed in embarrassment of what her mouth would speak when she was losing control.

"You are right," She nodded, putting on her brave mask once more, "Forgive me, it just brings memories…"

"We're going to find out what is happening, I promise." He nodded at her, running out toward his sister's body. "Naru!" He called out, his body a visible catalyst of anxiety and dread.

They rushed to run onto the grass and to the unmoving form. Naru was on her back, varicose hand laying on her stomach and clothes dry, some of their bags scattered around her. From the dirt skids, it appeared she was pulled out of the water recently by someone and laid out to dry. The two fell to her side and checked the child for injuries.

Zelda put an ear to the girl's chest and heard a strong heart and full lungs. "She is alive, praise the Gods," Zelda sighed in relief. Link gave a thankful chuckle, helping Naru up into a sitting position.

"Naru, please wake up, we must go." Zelda whispered, putting her hand over hers.

Link brought to her attention the sound of Bokoblin cries coming closer and urged an immediate retreat. Scanning the fields, she knew they had no chance to reach the bridge in time, so with quick thinking, she brought her hands together and called on Farore's winds, still shameful of her blasphemy spoken prior. The spell no longer felt dangerous to her when real enemies faced her. She had a destination in mind, the throne room of the Grand Zora Domain, there she knew questions would be answered.

Link made a shocked sound as he felt himself become weightless, and he held Naru tighter as they disappeared, traveling the breeze like autumn leaves.

…

Zelda dropped to her knees in fatigue, physically unable to bear the energy her magic reaped from her. _This world is made of balances_ she recalled saying once, and it was true. She was too weak to send them to the Domain, but to a section of land in Lake Hylia that was a wet walk away from the entrance of the Lanayru Spring. Looking up, she saw the shadow of the Great Bridge of Hylia and felt determined; her will would not so easily crumble. She winced in pain.

Link gasped in concern, but she waved it away, standing up tall and going to unpack the few bags they could salvage. Naru's eyes then began to flutter open, and unsure of her surroundings, she meeped, "Big...Brother?"

He looked down at her and smiled, "You're okay."

"What's going on?" She asked, sitting up fully and noticing the crater of a place she resided in. "Where are we?"

"Lake Hylia. We are just as confused as you are, fear not. We shall figure it out tomorrow, though." Zelda tried to sound positive as best she could.

Naru saw the night crawl from under the horizon and added naturally, "If we are going to stay here, shouldn't we get a fire going?"

"Good idea," Link helped her stand, taking her to collect firewood from the greenery not too far from them. They set the small logs in a pile, trying to pretend it was a voluntary camp-out rather than being forced from their homes. Zelda saw that Naru was onto what they were doing, and understood that they didn't give children the respect they deserve when it came to comprehending when things go wrong, instead trying to hide them from reality. Her innocence was already tainted, and Zelda grew heavy with guilt for she had taken that from her the moment she killed that creature before her eyes.

Some soot was still in her pores and she moved a lot slower now. Shock from witnessing her first death, Zelda supposed, recalling how she was mute for a whole moon after killing her first man. He was another heretic attempting to kill her grandmother, and she executed the blow with textbook perfection. But what they didn't teach her was how to deal with the idea of being the last thing someone saw before their life came to an abrupt end. They treated her like a hero after that, a child committing her first murder was praised, and although she took a life to save a life, the sheer power that came with watching light leave someone's eyes shook her very core. Her name may have meant warrior-princess, but by no means did she think of having a fighter's demeanor.

Naru tried to light the fire with a small stick with no success, so Zelda went to kneel beside her.

"Do you require assistance?" She questioned.

Naru shook her head no, wiping her brow. "Princess?"

"Yes?"

She glanced up at her with round, stagnant eyes. "You saved my life in Ordon, and it got me thinking...Maybe Big Brother is right, adventures don't seem too fun if those guys are around." She tried to lighten things up, a contagious action born from staying by the Hero for too long.

"Maybe for adventures, yes, but learning to defend yourself is good regardless of age or future endeavors." Zelda began to remove the gold cuffs and necklace that roughened her skin, "We need to get everyone out of these wet clothes, lest we wish to catch a cold."

"I know you wanna cry – it's okay, I'm scared too." Naru turned to Link who stood with arms crossed, "You both don't need to pretend to be strong for my sake. I know something bad is happening, so we shouldn't act like we weren't just attacked and thrown off a bridge."

The three exchanged looks.

Link wanted to tell her this was a matter for adults to worry about, but she clicked her tongue at him, unwilling to stay in the dark. Zelda empathized with the feeling.

"She is right. She may be young, but now is the ultimate time to prepare for what may be ahead."

"If it's anything," Link chimed in, trying to stay optimistic.

Naru smiled, "Right...Could you help me with the fire though?"

Zelda held her arm out so to move the child a scoot away before holding her open palms above the wood. Her body was overcome by a scorching heat as Din's flame burst within the bundle to create a healthy fire. Naru clapped in pleasure at the sight she witnessed, and Link made a sign of joy when their meek camp was blanketed in a comforting glow.

The heat disappeared from her veins, but a hot trail of blood ran from her nose and her head throbbed.

"Zelda!" Link gasped, dropping to her side and guiding her to lean against a boulder. She wiped the blood from her nostril, and eyed it in consternation.

"I am fine," She stayed blank; "It seems I must have overworked myself, my magic is not as strong as it used to be."

He didn't believe her, but ran to pull from one of the packs a bottle of rosy red liquid and held it to her. She pinked, shaking her head sternly, "That is your potion Hero, I could not–"

"You need it more than I do," He insisted.

"Please Princess, the last thing we need is you being sick." Naru pouted.

Zelda knew she couldn't talk her way out of it, so she compromised. "I propose all three of us share it. My wounds are simply fatigue, rest can cure me, but who knows what silent killers latched onto you both during the fall?"

Naru was pleased by the idea, the monarch wanting her to be the first to sow the harvest of health. She took a hearty swig, her face contorting after realizing the sweet color was a veneer for the bitter liquid. Zelda muffled a chuckle at the natural mistake.

Next, Link took the bottle, pausing to look at her before putting it to his lips. She saw him fake the act of drinking it but chose to rather not out him for it. He wanted her to have the rest, and she appreciated the gesture. She finished it, allowing the slimy contents to fill her stomach and warm her in healing.

With the fire prepared, the party tired for the century hung the clothes from the packs and their backs to dry. This left them in only their undergarments, two chemises and breeches with undertunic, which would have been very embarrassing and inappropriate had the circumstances been different.

Within a few minutes, Naru had succumbed to slumber, curled up close to the fire with her long locks like a blanket around her. Zelda smiled sadly, culpable in feeling this to be one of those family moments she pined to encounter had danger not been looming. The burning castle flashed into her mind, so she distracted herself with undoing her hair to stop from knotting.

"You're not going to take your crown off?" Link was propped on his elbows a few feet beside her, watching the way her fingers moved through the strands like a harp. The fire danced across his strong features and made his beryl eyes burn into her own.

"No," she answered, facing the flames so to hide her expression, "I know they are specifically looking for me, but I have nothing to hide." The corners of his mouth raised, and she assumed her answer pleased him. He thought she was noble in the action, but in all honesty she didn't feel noble nor wise. "I am very concerned Hero, I do not know what to expect."

"I know," He sighed, sitting up, "But whatever it is, we can handle it."

She spoke an unspeakable fear. "What if...What is _he_ is back?"

He paused. "No way, that's impossible," His face fell, "Midna made sure of it…"

Her stomach flipped. "That is what they always say, but one way or another he is reborn or brought back; it has been like this since Hylia left the heavens and conquered Demise!"

"Well not this time!" He snapped, soon regretting it and turning away. Ghosts of what happened before left him frightened, she could see it. He never wanted this life; he was forced into it by fate, by the confusing will of the Goddesses that live on balances. You cannot become victorious without loss, and he knew that all too well. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean...Whatever is happening, whoever it is, we'll get through it." He smiled, wincing to grab the back of his head.

"Are you alright?" Zelda jumped, gasping when she saw the blood on his hands.

"It's just a flesh wound," he insisted in the way he slumped his shoulders in apology.

"Come here, I told you to drink the potion!" She pulled him over and had him sit in front of her, having to be on her knees to stay eye height to his head. Some blood was dried in his locks, and although the wound appeared to be superficial, she took all precautions. "Allow me to heal it for you."

He made a sound of objection, turning to stop her but she pushed him to face forward. "It will not take long," she insisted, putting her hand over his wounds and controlling her breath. Tendrils of periwinkle light fell from her fingertips and he hissed in brief discomfort before relaxing. The back of her head began to ache from phantom pains, but she did nothing to have him suspect it.

"You loved her…" She stated, the voice in her head muted by her conviction and stomach twisted. He made no comment, but didn't have to, the way his shoulders tensed and breath caught in his throat was enough of an answer she needed. A strange feeling washed over her, and she fought to ignore the cold grasp of truth that strangled her.

"Before you visited me, I was plagued with these...nightmares." She divulged, trying to focus, "Do you know why that concerns me?"

He did not.

"When the women of my lineage receive dreams of malice or darkness, more times than not they are premonitions from the Gods...Months before the Twili Invasion I had them, but they were ignored...I fear that my inability to heed these warnings made us unprepared for what has occurred."

"Or they're just nightmares," his tone reflected that he too suffered sleepless nights.

"You are probably right," she moved him so his roughed shoulders and head rested on her lap, "Try to rest, your wound is nearly healed."

He sunk into the position, placing his hands on his chest and toes enjoying the heat of the fire. He appeared content given the circumstances until his mouth twitched into a frown, and he arched his neck to look up at her apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to see the castle–"

"Do not move." She positioned him back, avoiding the memory.

He reached up to snatch her wrist and peered up again, eyes hooded with necessity to have her talk about it. Only he could make her descend into horrors so effortlessly; but she wanted no one to carry her cross for her. She muttered morbidly, "I am shaken to my very core...once again my choices bring misfortune, their blood is on my hands for not being in the castle to give into martyrdom like the messiah I am expected to be."

"You don't believe that, do you?" A wolf howled at the lonesome moon in the distance.

"I am not sure. Sometimes I do, other times I feel like a parrot, repeating things heard in my cage that I do not understand. Nonetheless, I am not the same person I was four years ago, and this is not the same Hyrule – which is neither bad nor good, it just is...Everyone is different from their past."

He too felt like a different person from before; his muscles clenched at a memory she did not know.

Zelda ran her fingers through his sandy hair to check for a fever. "I am trying to regain my optimism that left with my crown. Perhaps my fears are not as irrational as they were perceived – and I am cursed as the stain of a dynasty that let its people suffer – or perhaps there is still hope to right my wrongs and save those left. My faith must drown the dark voices that flirt with war."

He loosened his grip, moving in and out of consciousness. Link put her hand on his chest and slurred, "I believeinyou…."

His strong lion's heart thumped beneath her fingertips whilst his breathing slowed. "He fell asleep," She announced to herself. Naru made a wounded noise. With a wave of her hand, the fallen monarch commanded a dry robe to blanket the lumpling curled up by the fire.

Zelda tuned her ears to focus on the rhythmic crashing of the waterfall behind her, too focused on holding her companions together to allow her demons a place to speak. Commencing in prayer, she waited for sleep, her hand still pressed against his beating heart.

…

 _She was awoken by the familiar twinkle of bell from a baby's rattle, and saw through blurred vision a ball of whimsy land placidly on the child resting across from her. The babe with locks of muted potential arose from her spot by the fire without notice to the eyes that watched her sleepily, but focused devotedly to a voice that called only to children's ears. She could feel a presence but not turn to it, only watch as the child was beckoned hypnotically to leave the safety of camp._

There were people all around them. From the sounds being made from behind her closed eyes feigning sleep, she theorized there were about five of them shuffling about, waiting. Princess Zelda thoughtfully planned her attack; a blast of light would stun them as she moved Link off her lap as she grabbed a stone from the burnt-out fire to throw at the body that stood over Naru. The moment the rock is sent flying, she would conjure forth the speed of a lightning bolt whilst she sweeps the next two opponents' legs, summoning her estoc and taking out the last two on her own. This was her perfectly timed and dwelled-over idea that would keep her companions safe from the Bulblins raiding their camp.

She hadn't; however, expected Naru to awaken before her and let out a frightened scream. Zelda sprung up, pushing Link off her and emitted a faint light from her palm that made her head throb. Five creatures with fish-like helmets and sharp coral spears dropped into a defensive stance, but the moment she processed these were Zora soldiers, she dropped her hand in embarrassment and they quickly turned to face away from her after noticing her lack of modest garments. They removed their helmets and Naru ran to cling to the princess, walking around the awakening form of her brother.

"Please excuse us, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, our scouts told us there was a disturbance in the Lake and we were told to investigate." The commander of the troops stated.

Naru whispered loudly, "W-What are they?!"

Zelda retrieved her black cloak and shielded her underdress with it. "These are the people of Nayru, the Zora tribe. And they need not apologise, their apprehension to movement in the Lake is understandable."

Link picked himself up and walked over to retrieve his now-dry green tunic. He then walked to the Zoras, and the moment they saw him, their silver-blue scales seemed to luminate in a friendly glow.

"Hero Link!" They cheered, exchanging handshakes and honest hugs.

"Maybe you could help us out," Link interluded, walking to stand by his party.

The commander closed his mossy green eyes and shook his head. "We know what happened in the castle. Our condolences, Your Highness, but what a blessing that our King's prayers would be heard by the merciful Nayru that you had survived the attack."

Zelda stepped forward frantically, "Do you know who attacked us? Do you have any information?"

"King Ralis will want to speak to you immediately, he'll be able to help better than I could." With that, the five soldiers helped to pack up the few bags laid askew around the camp, and Link went to speak with them as they allowed the girls to change.

Zelda ran her fingers through her hair and tried to look as presentable as possible with dirtied ribbon and no comb. When she donned her white skirt and signature purple bodice – reminded that this was the first time she'd clothed herself in a while – the princess turned to glance at Naru who just stared eminently at the foreign creatures. Zelda assumed that, to a young babe, the long dorsal fins and a beautiful array of colors and spots that glowed in certain lights would seem overwhelming. She tightened her pauldrons and tapped Naru on the shoulder, grabbing her attention to help tighten the sash around her waist, giving her a look that mentioned staring to be rude.

Naru blushed, and Zelda swore for an instant that there was a blue glow in her eyes, reminding her of the odd dream from last night. _Better than my usual night terror, I suppose,_ she reminded herself to not look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Are you ready, Your Highness?" The commander wondered, bowing to her politely.

…

Shamefully the princess had never once had the opportunity to visit that Zora domain herself. If there was an issue between the allied forces, the ambassador of the people, Nakar, would insist on coming to the castle, and on certain occasion Zelda would have snuck in to see the aquatic man speak, interested heavily in the way his gills would quiver when the council would disagree. She gathered that the Zoras were a reclusive people by nature, delicate and seeking privacy, which was why only one member of the royal family could enter the domain at a time – but the only one who _would_ go was her grandmother. _I'm here for an old friend_ , is what the late queen would tell her as she waited in the carriage and played with a crown too large for her head.

When Queen Ruto finally passed away, they no longer made trips to the domain.

It was an angelic dreamscape of a grotto, with large walls covered in symbols and motifs from the ancestors she knew nothing about, mossy and kept with care. The water shimmered in an array of colors with waterfalls at every glance made from the tears of Nayru's happiness. Pillars of marble stone peeked out of the water like fish bones, and schools of the rainbow swam contently between them. When a breeze ran through the many pearlescent caves sang. The commander led them through an open corridor that functioned as a non-Zora friendly entrance to the upper layers of the Domain, and in the shade, the walls gave a faint glow.

"Amazing," Zelda sighed, peering back to make sure Naru was keeping up, her eyes large, wide like bowls. _That was a strange dream indeed,_ Zelda noted the way the gleam reflected off her face.

Link touched Zelda's arm and smiled, wondering what she thought of the watery wonderland. When he first saw it, it was covered in thick snow and ice, and by the way his lips tightened, she inferred that the fact hadn't escaped him.

"As lovely as it is, we are not here as tourists," she explained, tightening her earrings, "And hopefully we do not require much of their assistance."

He understood, soon waving and greeting the occasional familiar face. Zelda peeked at the rear of his tunic and remembered just minutes ago he was in her arms wearing only breeches – her heart skipped a beat. _Please Zelda, You are Hylia incarnated, not some libidinous juvenile,_ she mentally rolled her eyes at herself. "Does your head feel better Hero?"

He nodded in delight, features soft and eyes large to let his thanks shine brilliantly in blue.

"Wait right here," the commander instructed, stopping at the mouth of the throne room to jump into the stream and swimming up the current.

"What now?" Naru asked, pulling a leaf out of her hair.

Link looked to Zelda for an answer and she delivered. "We wait and see if he does or does not agree to our plea for an audience..." she began to grumble, "...and knowing my luck, we will be here for a while."

"What if he says no?" He pondered.

"Then we carry on and I send forth a series of diplomatic correspondences until he agrees to see me."

Naru chimed with a sour face, "But you're the Princess of Hyrule, shouldn't he be the one asking for an audience?"

The monarch went ghostly, pushing a finger against her lips in a hush. "The Zora people have their own monarchy, and although they live in the Kingdom of Hyrule and must abide to our laws in the lakes and rivers, the Domain is their own sovereign land with its own constitution. I have no ruling power here, and I believe it best not to mention the concept of absolute rule by the Hylian Royal Family during this tension so they do not inherit the wrong idea of my being here."

The child blinked and slowly contorted her face into many expression before pronouncing, "You say a lot of really big words sometimes...I'll just take that as a no."

"Your Highness!" The commander came running, "The King has accepted immediately!"

"Let us not waste daylight then." She instructed her party to venture forth into the legendary throne room. There was a large crowd of Zoras huddled in the large space, some hidden behind the intricate stone screens, most with weapons in hand, ready to pounce at the sound of a mouse squeak. Six Zora men sat on the steps surrounding a bottomless pool of water, adorned in bright corals and pearlescent beads strewn around their necks and cephalic fin. When the Hylians entered, they stared with equal amounts of relief and suspicion – she did not trust those eyes.

A stone platform manifested itself into the center of the pool and they were implored to stand on it. Once in the center of the room, chattering rushed with the water, all eyes were on them and Zelda stood strong.

In the mammoth throne of rock and earth sat a figure with jade eyes old as her own, eyes chiseled by pain of loss and self-deprecation. She'd seen him last as a child, but before her she saw a young man – the last four years aged him well. His scales lightened with joyful color at the sight of them and he leaned forward, announcing with a steady voice, "Link, it is really you! And Princess Zelda, you have no idea what kind of relief it is to see you are safe."

It was then, seemingly out of the shadows, a tall pale Zora man stepped to stand beside the King with arms crossed, appearing as an aquatic Alger. He was dressed like the councilmen and Zelda put the pieces together.

She remembered being in his position after her grandmother announced her the official heir to the throne, ruling and making decisions within the parameters set by the council and advisors until she reached legal age to which her choices did not have to be approved by those who wanted your very spot. Diplomatic probation, so to speak. Zelda hoped that when he had the opportunity to prove himself a real King and not just a pretty face to parade through the land; that he would not make the same mistakes she had.

"Oh, Regis," King Ralis greeted, "Look, I told you they would make it. Princess Zelda, you must tell me what in the Goddesses' names is going on?"

Zelda paled, but stayed unchanging. "I was planning to ask the same thing sadly."

"You mean, you don't know?" The crowd chattered desperately.

"I was attending a religious ceremony in Ordon when the village was attacked and we were cast down rapids. By the time I came to, all I saw was my castle…" she faltered, "...I could smell my people's flesh burning, Your Highness."

Ralis looked away sadly, "We saw the smoke from here...Foreign invaders? Maybe Neighsdon has gone back on their agreement."

Zelda's heart lurched forward, mouth twitched from the sour taste the sound of the word left in her mouth. Regis caught the breech in her resolve, and raised a dotted brow. "We had a calvary pass by us, there was no mention of allegiance," she assured.

"They used the Blin," Link added, "There's no way a foreign invader could tame them, they're too proud of a clan."

"Maybe not, but they are mercenary-like creatures. Give them a constant supply of food or riches and when you say _jump_ they ask _how high_. As for pride, they're known to follow the strongest exclusively." King Ralis dwelled on the idea for a moment before shaking his head. "Nonetheless, I have a deep concern Princess. I know there are other things to worry about, but ambassador Nakar was visiting the castle before the attack and I must know: Is there any way to find out if he is still alive? There must be some special security in the castle, correct?"

Zelda placed her gloved hand on her chest in concern. "Ambassador Nakar was in the castle?!"

Regis spat, "Don't play dumb, Your Highness, we're not stupid. He was scheduled to be there for _one_ day but your father insisted on three, which leads me to wonder if this is really an attack on Hyrule or one King Daphne's games."

"Are you honestly assuming that my castle burning was some part of a sick ruse?" Her breath became bated at the horrid memory.

Regis waved his arm at her, "It's quite convenient actually; he holds an important meeting to discuss issues involving the Domain, but an invasion occurs and the ambassador cannot be returned to tell the truth and prepare us, so he sends his only daughter as a Trojan horse!"

Link pushed forward, eyes burning with disgust toward the accusation, but Zelda pulled him back before he could protest. She shook her head, "How could you say such a thing? Why in the world would he send the only person he is threatened by to an ally? Your paranoia has gotten the best of you; King Ralis, please, you cannot–!"

"Healer! We need a healer!" Two Zora women cried as they ran into the throne room with a bloodied figure over their arms. The audience gasped and moved to find the nearest medic, but Zelda was the first to jump to the servant boy whose left fin was slashed and nearing infection. "P-Princess Z-Zel…" He tried to walk to her but stumbled under the weight of his wounds, falling into her arms as she caught him.

"Do not speak," she commanded, "Link, do you have any more potion?!"

"I-It was awful," his scales felt dry and brittle, he had spent too long outside of water, "They destroyed the castle...Ambassador Nakar, h-he's dead." Everyone began to wail and pray in their native tongue to Nayru, and Zelda gave to him the last miniscule drops of potion, trying to move him into the water, but he refused to stay silent. He gripped her arms and looked into her with tears in his dull eyes, he was just a child in appearance. "T-They killed him this morning...They killed all of the council members in a sick, public execution! King Daphnes… King Daphnes may already be dead…"

He fell unconscious, but was very much alive. Princess Zelda slowly glanced back to Regis who stared at her stubbornly, his argument was proved wrong but he stood by his position. Ralis in turn, saw her with empathetic eyes, reliving the pain of hearing his own mother's demise from foreign mouths. But she did not feel like he did – she didn't know what to feel. Was she glad her father's tyranny was over, or saddened she would never see him again? She caught a glimpse in her mind of a distant time shared between the two of pure joy and exuberance; her tenth birthday where he gifted her the last ruby rose of fall with a smile of pure caring. Zelda stayed phlegmatic in her disposition, especially when reminiscing the first day he locked her in her chamber for a week after he returned, the way he painted her as a loon to the crowds after she had tried to claw her way through the door he kept locked like she was an animal. Those one or two rare moments of joy experienced from her father resurfaced after years of being buried under his atrocities, but she still did not feel – could not feel for him. At this moment, all there was was numbness to the situation; she had too many living people close to death to think of for the ghosts to bother her.

A well-dressed Zora healer came and took the young man from her, his blood still sullying her skirt as she returned to the platform and faced the Zora people. "You see," she announced, making sure to keep a professional and sympathetic tone, "I am not here to cause harm to friends. The real enemy is out there, not in here."

Naru sounded a frightened whine as she huddled closer to Link's tunic, just staring at the dark liquid that stained the once-pristine stone floor. She saw from the corner of her gaze, Link, moving to cover her eyes from it with a stone expression. He didn't want this either.

"Princess Zelda," King Ralis stood up, "My deepest condolences."

"And mine to you. Ambassador Nakar was a good man, for what few meetings I was allowed to attend I knew immediately that he cared deeply for your people." She took a deep breath, "And after what has occurred it pains me to bid you a request."

He returned to his seat and willingly responded, "Anything."

She peered up with her shadowed icy eyes and opened gloved palms. "I ask you allow my party and I to rest here for a moment. Just until we are replenished enough to continue our travels and discover what tragedy has unfolded."

To this Regis jumped forward, extending his arm to shield the King-in-training and scales morphing to a dangerously salmon shade. "Absolutely not!"

"Regis!" Ralis cried, looking to his advisor in alarm.

"Your Highness, the invaders are looking all over for the Princess! Do you know what would happen if they knew we were harboring her?" He turned to face the citizens with frantic eyes, "Remember what they did to our late Queen – Goddess bless her – to prove a point? Why not give her up and save us their wrath?"

Zelda sharply glared at him when she noticed the crowd – and King Ralis – begin to question their original thoughts by the hands of a silver-tongued advisor. His appeal to pathos was impressive to say the least.

Link broke through their worries with a ray of blinding light, his presence bringing forth an air of optimism and trust. "Wait, you wouldn't seriously consider giving a member of the royal family to these bastards? What makes you think they won't turn around and attack you?" His mouth hung in a snarl as his limbs tensed, telling them their first priority should be protecting her.

More murmurs. Regis straightened the gold chains across his chest and walked down the short steps to lean against the lantern. He appeared agitated and calculated his next words.

"Then tell me Princess, what has the Hylian Royal Family ever done for us in recent years?" He smirked.

"I saved Ralis's life!" Link argued.

Regis raised his hand. "With all due respect Hero, your actions were not mediated by the royal family; rather, it was a result of your good nature. I speak to Princess Zelda of Hyrule; what have you done for your allies that deserves our cooperation?"

She showed not her confusion and dread as she tried to anticipate his meaning behind such a question. Holding her head high with a rebuttal, "Obviously we have had an outstanding allyship since the Hyrulean Civil War, and it is common knowledge that Queen Ruto and my Grandmother had a very close friendship, coming to the Domain every year to bring the Sage offerings in the Water Temple, and when she was too weathered to do her duties, my Grandmother would visit her to ensure her biddings for her people was carried through."

"Oh yes, we remember that clearly. Late Queen Zelda promised Queen Ruto that Prince Daphnes would never set foot in the Lake's business, let alone take the Hylian crown." He pointed to her in blame.

She furrowed her brows and closed her eyes. "It is more complicated than that and you know it."

"Is it Princess?" His caudal fin swayed as he spoke with his hands, "It doesn't seem too complicated to me. The Royal Family went back on their word, and now for the past years _your_ father has been starving us with fishing restrictions and unfair swimming boundaries that are moving higher and higher up the Zora River."

"W-What?" Zelda paused, turning to Ralis with unbelieving eyes, "I-Is this true?"

The young man sighed, "Yes."

She felt disgusted with her father yet again. "I had no idea. King Daphnes insists I stay away from the affairs of the kingdom, I had nothing to do with this."

Regis laughed loudly, snapping to two servant Zoras that scurried over to him with a rolled paper. "Queen Zelda promised Queen Ruto that Daphnes would never seize control of the Domain, yet here it is," He unrolled the scroll and read through it: "The Princess signing our souls away."

He turned it to her, an official document signed and processed by the Hyrulian Council granting the Royal Family the right to pursue the Zora Domain. Signed at the bottom of the foreign form was a mediocre signature with Zelda's name. She reached out to snatch and destroy the monstrosity, but Regis pulled it away from her in time.

"I did not sign that!" She argued, face hot with rage that her father forged her signature. She questioned then how often he had done this – how many laws were falsely written under her name? The Zoras looked unsure whether or not to believe her, and even Link made a face of uncertainty. "That is not my signature!"

"Whether it is or isn't doesn't matter. What does is that they have been following through with their pursuit for the past year!"

Her knees began to weaken, but she stayed standing, staggering a bit before capturing her footing. She held her head low, holding her aching heart as she felt the stares calling her a monster. "You know I would never be capable of such an act," she nearly choked on her anguish, "These past four years have turned my kingdom's government into a parody of what it used to be. I did not sign that order, and had I known it was circulating, I would have done everything in my power to terminate it! He made sure I had no contact with his council meetings, left me preoccupied with mundane tasks in my chambers, and obviously fears me because I still have a sliver of ruling power over him, thus he needs my 'signatures' to follow through with his injustices – But I have no power now, and I am not my father, thus I beg of you to show compassion toward a Princess who means right, but does everything wrong."

Humbling herself, she lowered into a semi-kneel, looking into all their glowing eyes hoping to elicit some form of emotion. Ralis held his hand out to her, but Regis jumped to snatch his attention away.

"Please Your Majesty, as your official advisor until you come of age and ascend to the throne, I implore you to ask them to leave. We have enough people to worry about. The Rose of Hyrule needs to face her kingdom's problems, whether she caused them or not shouldn't matter." Regis begged, fins quivering in anticipation.

King Ralis rubbed his head, wincing in the stress of it all. Her breath came out in brief shots as he looked into each fearful face of his people. Clicking his tongue, he said apologetically, "Regis is right in one thing: We are running out of space to take care of anyone else, but that's the only reason why I would turn you down."

Link gasped, looking to Naru then back at him, urging him to consider the child involved. "Just one night, we will be gone by morning."

"Silence!" Regis cracked his vocal whip, "This conversation does not concern a deserting knight! We've been trying to contact you for years to help us against the King but where were you? Where was our Hero?"

Link's eyes hardened in self guilt. Zelda moved to cut in, but Naru beat her to it, stepping forward and shouting, "Hey! Don't talk to my Big Brother like that!" She bared her teeth and Link tried to bring her back, but she refused to stay behind him. "You HAVE to let us stay the night here!"

Regis's eyes widened in amused surprise toward her audacity. "Oh really? And why is that?"

She growled, "B-Because...Because Queen Rutella said so!"

The crowd gasped, and one woman fainted dramatically. They paused at the severity of the statement. Zelda spoke lightly, "Naru, what are you saying?" her voice echoing off the still room. She recalled the odd dream she had the night before.

Regis exploded, "How dare you use the late Queen's good name for personal gain! You should be punished severely for such an offense–!"

"King Ralis, she said that she loved you to no end, and that as a baby you were deathly afraid of Reekfish because one stole your favorite toy!" Naru cried out over Regis.

King Ralis's eyes widened and he leaned forward, face convinced by something. "You," he whispered, "I saw you in a dream..." Naru nodded, and Link exchanged a concerned glance with Zelda. "But why?" He pondered outloud.

Naru clenched her small fists. "Last night, I was awakened by a lady's voice. She said she was the spirit of the King's mother returned to bring a message. She told me she gave you a dream of our arrival so you can help us."

"And why would we do that?" Regis snarked.

She leered at him. "If you didn't interrupt me I would tell you! Anyways, she led me to the Spring where the spirit Lanayru told me that Hyrule's lack of faith and hope has led to the golden goddesses losing their power. Zelda, that's why your magic hurts you so much, Nayru fell from the heavens, and as a last chance, she came in the form of a Hylian child to live the life of mortal suffering...And that's me."

She staggered back as the people erupted into fits of either panic or rage toward the ludicrous claim. Regis blustered in laughter, "You see! Blasphemers within the party of Hylia reborn!"

"Naru," Zelda knelt down and grabbed her arms, "Is this true?" Her fingers flexed in anxiety, her eyes catching a glimpse of her nightmare, the statue so clean with its blue glow.

Regis spat, "Please! Do you realize how ridiculous this sounds? The Goddess of Wisdom returning to the mortal realm in the form of a naive child? King Ralis, listen to this lack of logic."

Ralis's expression fell, the words of his advisor tearing deep into his mind. Naru frowned when she saw this, and Zelda stood to try and understand the situation.

There was a loud rumble that trembled through the river's veins, knocking most of the people standing to the floor. The Zora guards grabbed their spears and stood in offensive stances, Zelda and Link scanning the room in fear of what came after these tremors.

They were blinded by a warm light that came from the mouth of the cave, and a large glowing serpent slithered rapidly across the water, engulfing Naru in its light as it stood over her, fangs clamped on a ball of spiraled energy. The Zoras fell to fearful bows, Zelda grabbing Link to pull him to kneel before the Great Spirit Lanayru. It gave out a flute's cry, turning to all the bodies now silent in respect and reverence for its awesome power. Princess Zelda peeked up to see Naru's body now standing limp, varicose veins shifting beneath her skin and eyes void of her muted iris.

Regis had fallen onto his back, and stared in horror, scurrying to bow his head and saying, "Oh great Spirit Lanayru, please–"

Naru opened her mouth and spoke in a hush whisper of a thousand voices not her own, " _ **Silence**_!" And so he stayed under the command of the celestial being.

" _ **Children of Nayru's love, thou art in grave danger...Darkness plans to cover this land once more, yet you bicker and fight for personal glory rather than save**_ _,"_ The spirit gave another loud cry, _"_ _ **Faith has been bled dry from Her people, the Gods are no longer strong enough to protect those no longer seeking Their protection...They have fallen from grace and cast away Their divinity to walk amongst Their children in flesh to return light to its rightful place…"**_ Lanayru turned with Naru to stare down at Zelda and lamented _, "_ _ **Even Hylia, guardian of the mortal realm, is left with a meek drop of light to carry forward**_."

Princess Zelda cursed herself in shame, and clenched her gloved fists, looking up and beginning, "Why great spirit, why has this occurred! What darkness do we face now?"

Lanayru stayed mute to her questions, instead turning to the Zora people and speaking through the child exalted, " _ **Behold, your Mother!**_ **".** The serpent then moved through Naru before disappearing as she fell to the floor with a thud. Link was the first to crawl over to her, setting her in his lap and checking for a pulse, calling to Zelda with his frightened eyes. The crowd raised their heads up with tears cascading down blue cheeks, looking at the frail girl in the Hero's arms in security, praising the spirits.

Ralis jumped up and hysterically cried, "We feared the Goddesses had forgotten about us when they took Lord Jabu Jabu during the reign of Sage Ruto and my father, but they give us another savior!"

The people bawled in many emotions, Regis still unsure of what to do with himself. This would have pleased Zelda for a moment, but her attention was focused on a sleeping Naru, the varicose on her hands now a perfect triangle, and as she motioned her hand over it her triforce glowed with ferocity.

Link's eyes begged to know what was going on, and Zelda weakly said, "In Hyrule's time of need, the Gods work in mysterious ways...But to do this? It is unheard of."

The happy smiles faded at the realization of how dire the situation needed to be for the Goddesses to cast themselves down to mortality, and Zelda grasped her punishing heart as the ghosts of her nightmare creeped up to nibble on her mind. _How much of this dream is a premonition?_

* * *

 **Alright now onto my special message. I seriously cannot express how happy I am to hear how many of you enjoy this story! I requested 10 reviews and you guys gave me 13! Above and beyond participation from all of you - thanks so much! And to those who didn't review, thanks for reading! Irregardless I am so thankful to have you guys!**

 **There were a few reviews I just adored ( all of them were superb though ). One was from ChroniclerOfFantasies who really appreciated the parentage of Zelda, and another was from Liv-andletdie who liked the Hylian nobility, and OTM likes the detail in the religious aspect of the story. Thanks for noticing, I really tried to work hard on make the world seem real! A reviewer called Ripple made an interesting analysis based on the syntax of the chapters, saying that the shifting between Zelda's perception of reality and her thoughts symbolizes her trying to stay away from her dark reality. Awesome analysis!**

 **Everyone had awesome reviews, and if I could I would talk about each and everyone of them, but to save space here are the mentions of reviewers, follows, and/or favoriters:**

 **Miaka Kiri, Call-me-Ishmeal, Biali J, The Rambling Writer, JoshuaDrinkWater, Nayru247, Mr0cheese, idkanything, Unanimously Anonymous 42, Ollie, Bossninja3064, LettieXxX, Liv-andletdie, xXZeldafanXx, OTM, Ximnah, VainGlory0, Ripple, and ChroniclerOfFantasies.**

 **If I missed your name I apologize, my email has been acting really weird recently.**

 **Once again thank you all so so much! And please, just because you won't get an early update doesn't mean you shouldn't review D: Let me know how I am doing, what you think of the story, any analysis or relation with characters/scenarios are greatly appreciated and will probably be talked about by me! Love you all so much!**

 **My super-awesome-too-good-to-have-on-my-team-mega-talented editor: SunnyAirisu222 (Thanks so much for the help an attention to my little mistakes doll, you're the best!)**

 **See you all next month!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Lina: Fun fact, a lot of the scenes in this chapter had to be rewritten about three times until they felt right.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

King Ralis had his hands tied when giving land-dwellers refuge. Zelda realized very quickly that although the Domain was immense, most of their living quarters were down below the water's surface, and the rooms they did have were used to hold political documents given to them by the Hylian Royal Family. So the Princess and her party were given a nearly vacant, littoral storage room to call a home for the night, and since Zoras did not sleep in feather cushioned beds, they were given cots brought to them by Fyer and Falbi who ran the Flight by Fowl attraction in the Lake. She hated the room, not because of it's scant appearance – although she wouldn't lie and say she was accustomed to squalor – but because of the tragedy that made them have to take it. Her world felt turned on its head again.

She trusted that the only advantage to these events were since she was focused on survival, her mind had no time to wander into the darkness of her own devices. Princess Zelda shook her head quickly after, not wanting to jinx it. As she began to organize and make a list of what would be needed after they stayed the night, the door unlatched, and Link inaudibly entered.

He looked unsure and tired, and when their eyes met, he tacitly answered her questions. His stares told he had not just abandoned those in need, the stiffness in his jaw confessed his travels were to visit friends and not for the adrenaline of being a Hero. His lips parted to allow his regret to escape via breath, regret for not answering the occasional call to aid the political strife with his sword knowing very well that the tales of his heroics could change opinions and save lives lost in physical disagreements. His head turned, he did not feel worthy of the title, he felt by no means a Hero – he was just a rancher boy good with a sword, comfortable with the adventures that never left Faron Woods, but a link to the God's plan of creating a symbol of hope for the hopeless.

Zelda knew he did not dislike helping people, but rather he felt undeserving of a title he didn't want to pursue, but was forced into it. She could empathize with the feeling: the legends of old expatiate so highly of Heroes and virtuous Princesses but never the people behind them, never about the loss and strife. He was not the Hero of Twilight anymore – he left when the Twili did – Link was simply a man trapped under unfair circumstances.

"You seem preoccupied, Link." She dropped her bags and rubbed her arms.

He bit his knuckles, unable to wrap his mind around something. "I just don't understand how Naru...could be Nayru in human form."

"It seems perfectly plausible to me: You find her with no recollection of her past because she does not have any, she holds a strange marking on the back of her hand, not to mention her physical features...If anything, it is the same force that made us Triforce bearers."

Link made a noise of discomfort. He didn't want the child to get hurt by involving herself with adventures, and ironically here she was, a focal point in dangerous matters. Zelda walked to stand behind him and remarked, "I once mentioned to you a concerning dream of mine. One of the components involved three orbs of light and three statues," she gingerly placed a hand on his shoulders, "There were many bad things in it, but this news has proven that not all is lost. We must stay positive and trust in this journey we are destined to partake in, for if the Gods give us sisters destined for divinity, not all hope is lost."

He relaxed, putting his hand over hers and turning with a sweet smile, he gave her a single light pink rose. "Oh," She gasped, covering her mouth in surprise,"Where did you–"

"I came across a rose bush and thought of you. Ilia once said they only grow in specific soils and aren't usually seen by bodies of water, but I came across one here in the domain anyways. It's like you, thriving despite all the odds against you." He waited, and she carefully took it from his hands, face unmoving but heart fuzzy.

"Thank you." She studied each faint-colored petal of unique shapes and sizes, like shards of a stained glass window that, when put together, formed her silhouette. To others, she was a symbol of frail beauty, but to him, she was the Kingdom's indomitable spirit. She inhaled its sweet scent and continued, "That was very thoughtful of you."

There was a faint knock before the sea-glass doors swung open again, and a small figure rushed in before closing it behind them. Naru stood alarmed, dressed to the hilt in randomly-thrown traditional Zora wear. The local women must have placed each pearl, each resin fin, and each piece of coral on her person in a confused game of dress-up. Naru looked very tired of it, clawing to remove her hair of its updo and the jewels they adorned it with.

"I'm not a toy!" She cried when a piece of coral headwear tangled within her locks.

Link went to go help her remove the rest, undoing it all and running his fingers through her locks to fix them. Zelda smiled, "I am sure they did not mean to be so disproportionate with their clothing, it must have been nerves. Imagine how elated you would be if your idol was amidst your presence?"

Naru pondered it for a bit and came to a disgruntled understanding with a nod. When her long hair was freed, she went to stand before Zelda, leaving Link in an unappreciated daze. "Do you really think I'm Nayru, Princess?"

"Are you having doubts?" Zelda dropped to eye level considerately.

Naru bit the insides of her cheeks. "I just...I don't know if I'm ready for this responsibility if it is true. I don't think I can be what everyone expects of me...I'm just a kid!"

Affinity welled inside the woman as she moved with instinct that stretched out till the dawn of time. She put her finger under the child's chin and forced her to look into her eyes. Zelda softened, raised the back of her hand and allowed a quiet glow to show through her white gloves. "Do you know what this is?" She asked.

Naru blinked, "Yes."

"Then you know I was born with this. That every Zelda before me did," She then dropped her hand to grab Naru's, still speaking, "And do you know what blessing I was given?"

"Wisdom."

"That is correct," Zelda flipped the child's hand to show the perfect triangle etched in her skin, "Nayru gave Hylia the virtue of wisdom and compassion...Do you know what that means?"

Naru shook her head.

"That means I have generations of insight in relations with Nayru. You and I have been connected since light shone on Hyrule. No matter what happens, we shall always be there for each other, understand?" Zelda watched tears form in her large eyes, "You shall never be alone."

Link then knelt at her side and nodded in agreement. Naru jumped and wrapped her arms around him, possibly burying tears in his shoulder, but Zelda could not tell. There was a hard knock on the door for the third time, and Zelda glided to open it, but Link was quick to stop her, Naru still in his arms and eyes stern in protection. Slowly he opened it to a brigade who carried trays of strange cuisines enthusiastically.

One of the Zora men leading the group walked into the room with odd colored noodles and garnishes in his arms. It was Zora food, most definitely from the fishy aroma that stained everything. "For our Deity and You, Your Highness," They bowed, nearly spilling a piece of orange _something_.

Zelda brought her hand up gratefully, "Many thanks; however, it would be unfair of us to dine like kings whilst danger lie upon the horizon. Ration this to the Zora people, and we shall take our share from that, right Naru?" She turned to see crumbs and creams of the dessert platter sporadically scattered on the child's pink face as she watched the princess, releasing the cook's arm she used to bring the plate closer.

Naru took a hard swallow and gave a satisfied smirk. "But I'm the _Goddess._ " Her eyebrows practically wagged.

Zelda was austere in her look. _Oh, now it is no longer a burden, is it_? Zelda narrowed her eyes, and Naru appeared to understand her thoughts. She quickly cleaned her face and disappointingly said, "Princess Zelda is right."

"How altruistic of You!" The cooks beamed, quickly shutting the door behind them. Zelda's stomach then gave a lion's growl.

…

"Has she fallen asleep Link?" Princess Zelda rummaged through her pack to remove her favorite ebony cloak, raising the hood to cover the glisten of her diadem.

Link made a sound of agreement, covering the snoring girl in a blanket of clothing before walking to Zelda's side. His expression was focused, but when he caught her stare it would crack into optimism. "Let us go then," She instructed, "King Ralis said this would be the only time Regis and the others would not be around to interrupt us. It seems he has something important to say."

The two exited the room in the dead of night, walking through the shadows, footsteps muted by the howl of waterfalls. The moonlight blanketed the world in a hue of blue and glowing limestone. They rushed to a plateau atop the Domain accessible only by a well-hidden ladder made of sturdy vines. Link helped her catch her footing, staring at him until he looked away so she could climb up without fear of eyes up her skirts. She chortled to herself when she saw it took a few seconds for him to realize why she had him look away.

King Ralis waited for them with his arms crossed, ulnar fins glossy and fanned beside him. When he noticed their arrival, his face beamed in juvenile pleasure. Although nearing Zora adulthood, Ralis still held a childlike newness to him, and if he was lucky, he would spend the next century with this youthfulness. Where she saw it impressive, Link didn't seem to be too happy with the young King's walk with puberty, as he was nearly the Hero's height despite being his junior.

"You requested us, King Ralis?" The princess greeted.

"Yes," He nodded, "There are things I needed to tell you in private." He looked at every angle of his person, making sure there were no eyes within the bushes or ears glued to walls. "Princess, I am sure you have seen more than I have in dreams, but my mother did not _only_ warn me about the Golden Goddesses."

"Have you seen it also?" Zelda stepped forward, "I mean, the other components?"

"Only one other thing. An inverted triforce written in blood." He nearly shuttered at the idea.

Link tilted his head. "What does that mean?"

"It is representative of the Sacred Realm giving in to total darkness. It is sacrilegious, and the very idea of it should cause you to fall ill." Zelda closed her eyes, blinded by worry.

"Or not. This is all speculations," King Ralis worked up a smile, "Regardless, I am sure the two of you would never allow such a fate. Hyperbolic language is not unheard of by the spirits."

Zelda sighed, "Let us hope so."

"I have also received news from Kakariko," He beamed, "The villagers of Ordon arrived there safely."

Link released a glad breath of relief, putting his hand on Zelda's shoulder and grinning. She would have shared in his celebrations had it not been for the nagging voice in the back of her head reminding her of all the people who weren't so fortunate. She prayed Impaz made it, at least, but then the chubby faces of each child of the help within the castle appeared, and the reality that most had not escaped the flames and carnage. She wanted to run, but didn't know where or from what danger. Sweat began to bead down her forehead, and she reached up to claw at the skin above a vein in her neck that pulsated with blood which moved loudly with the sound of moving fire. It began to burn, but her gloves didn't help as she tried to extinguish the blaze that consumed everyone she tried to save in a holocaust.

When Link touched her arm, she came to her senses, lowering her hand and refusing to look at his brows furrowed in concern. "Then we shall follow through with our plans for Kakariko in the morning. What do you think, Link?"

He agreed.

"I wish you all the best luck then," King Ralis opened his arms out to them, "I wish I could do more for you, maybe escort you with a platoon–"

"No need," She interrupted, "Your offer is appreciated, regardless. I must still implore you to eventually come to Kakariko yourself, just until we find out who is leading this invasion."

Ralis chuckled, "We Zora can hold our own here, for now. No mortal army would be able to reach us through the rapids, not even your father – Oh, and Princess, I hope you hold no discontent toward Regis. He means well for our people and is merely frightened."

"He is a politician," She internally laughed, "He cannot help it."

"We should probably get some rest Princess." Link advised. She signalled understanding, but just as she was about to leave, the Zora teen jumped.

"I almost forgot!" He went to undo a component of his neckpiece and handed to Zelda a gold pendant with three round sapphires. She looked between it and him until he took the trinket and raised it to the heavens. "According to Zora law, this item belongs solely to our people's royalty and is used as form of engagement between an heir and the mate of their choice," he blushed furiously when Link gave Zelda a startled glance, "H-However, mother said that this was once sought after by the Hylian Royal Family and was willingly given to the Hero of Time by Queen Ruto. It seems that it served a purpose in the Temple of Time many centuries ago."

Zelda stroked her chin in thought. "I would not know. I have never seen the ancient Temple of Time in person."

"Well, regardless," he put it in front of her face again, "I offer you take it with you. Give it to Naru. I won't need it anytime soon." Princess Zelda carefully took it from his slippery hands and ran her thumb over its metal. "Take care of the spiritual stone, Princess." King Ralis stated, leaving the two to their thoughts.

Zelda dug into her cloak's pocket and produced the gold necklace she wore to the wedding, and removed the composite triforce to string the shimmering chain through the stone. She would give Naru this necklace.

"And Princess, would you like for us to wash your gown? It seems you still have the messenger's blood on it." Ralis appeared awkward.

She glanced down at the now-browning stain and nodded. "That would be appreciated. I hope your man is safe?"

"He is stable, thank you for asking."

"Let us be off then." She told Link, heading back to their room in reticence. Her eyes felt sunken from a lack of much-needed sleep, and mind ached from fighting with itself after a short intermission of peace.

Link caught her attention with a gasp and mischievous grin, pointing down to the brisk channel of water a fearless jump away. She was slow to process the question in his brow, but the pit in her stomach slapped her head into a refusal. "I apologise Link; however, I do not feel very well at the present time." She turned away, feeling listless and uninspired. Which was better, to feel constant terror and agony or nothing at all?

He appeared downcasted by her response, expecting that rebellious side to shine through again. He made a noise of shock and studied her face for a moment as she just walked past him. "Princess Zelda," he ran to stop in front of her, "You know it's okay to cry."

"Pardon?" She peered up.

Gingerly, he reached up and hovered his hands over her shoulders, unsure whether or not it was appropriate for a commoner to touch a princess like he had before, but courageously he shut the courtesies away to put his arms around her and pull Zelda into a comforting hug. Her face was pushed into his shoulder, and she stared wide eyed at the grain of his tunic, his scent of freshly cut grass and the outdoors infiltrating her senses. Her heart panicked, and she stayed with her arms at her sides, stiff and unthinking. His chest hummed soothingly as he spoke, she recalled how he held her when she saw the castle aflame. "You haven't had enough time to mourn. I saw what happened to you back there. It's okay to cry, you don't need to pretend around me."

At this point, her facade was as much a part of her as the hair on her head, an essential piece of her core being was indecipherability. Yet she could not cover the tears that ran down her blushing cheeks, nor silence the loud sobs that wracked her body with each face that crossed her mind. Once again these were not only her tears, but tears for the fallen and long forgotten, tears for those unable to cry.

…

 _The rose paced anxiously within her cage, plotting and planning a way to stretch her roots far away from this forsaken place. She had, many times, been able to sneak away from her room on occasion and hunt for a way out to no avail._

 _She continued to move until the floor below her felt sticky and strange, casting her stare to the misty window pane, familiar with each kink and impurity cast upon it from hours of looking through. The rose grew tired of waiting, needed to move from the dank room and aid her people in some way. Desperately, she opened her doors, knowing well that the beasts were still deep in slumber whilst the serpent tempted those across the land. Practically jumping, she exited to the staircase, her celebration interrupted by the hushed whisper of life. Quickly turning, she saw in the corner a pair of dim flames of passion, two souls burning with the need to live._

 _They spoke to her with unseeing eyes, "W-Who goes there!"_

 _The rose opened her petals to them, asking them to no longer live in fear. She would save them; at least the two of them would be safe from harm._

 _"Please," she begged, "Follow the sound of my voice. It is not safe for you here, but I shall care for you in this never-ending dusk."_

 _And so she gained two new blossoms in her protected thorn bush, obscuring them cleverly from view behind a chest that the daft beasts would never bother looking near. They became her companions, a brother and sister, young perennials just as herself. She comforted them, and they her, she was no longer lonely._

 _They would have bloomed even larger had it not been for the serpent slithering through her garden one fearful evening. He held them before her and scolded, "You simply can not follow orders, can you?"_

 _She stayed silent, expression unmoving, secrets hidden beneath the layers of her leaves._

 _"Where is the Imp?!" He snapped at her._

 _Her lips bore no confession as she nearly sewed them shut._

 _His bones cracked angrily, and with a bored sweep, he plucked her rose buds from her, their passion bleeding out and disappearing. She fell forward with a scream, but the beasts kept her still standing as she thrashed her prickles and thorns about._

 _"And don't think we haven't noticed you leaving this room," he walked over to her and rubbed her eyes with the cloth of his sleeves. When she could see again, her floor was covered in the unmoving bouquet of spirits, her rose buds lying amongst them. "Each time you go against us, people die. Remember that. You did this." The serpent gestured to the occasional ghostly body that stared lifelessly at her._

 _The rose was rooted in her seat by the window, forced to observe the garden of her sins once more._

Zelda awoke with a sharp intake of breath and burning scanned the dark room fearfully, the faces now burned into her memory. Her body shook like trees caught in a hurricane but dared not to let a sound leave her hard pressed lips coated in sweat thicker than blood. Her hands clenched and unclenched in an attempt to regain control, she dare not let these ghosts blind her need to protect those she had left.

She turned to see Link and Naru fast asleep, tranquil while she fought a losing battle with herself. _Survival, I must focus on survival,_ She told herself, eventually bringing herself to a meditative state but refusing to fall back asleep.

…

"So what now?" Naru wondered as she molested her new necklace and kicked dirt with her bare feet.

Zelda chided, "Keep that concealed little one," crossing her arms and scanning the quiet area before the bridge of Lake Hylia. "On foot it is a four day trip."

Naru pretending to faint like an overly dramatic child would, the Princess noting that this girl was to be her patron goddess. Link made a noise shorter than a chuckle, his pointed ears raising with the smile of wry humor. He jokingly wished he could turn into a wolf again and travel with an animal's speed – Zelda found nothing funny in being tainted with shadow.

He removed from his tunic a leather-laced necklace and wood-whittled flute the shape of a horseshoe. It was rustic, and when he blew on it, it sang a song able to soothe any beast. It echoed through the canyons and jumped from mountain to mountain until it was an ebb of sound distributing the silence.

"What is–" She was interrupted by the loud galloping of horse hooves on dry ground and the pining whinny of a steed reunited with her master. Link opened his arms to Epona who stopped just in time to nuzzle her muzzle against his face and clamp his shoulder with her throat latch into a basic hug.

He praised her with his laughter and petting, dusting off the ash that covered her body. "I am ecstatic to see Epona is safe." Zelda touched the war horse's shoulder and added she must have trampled many enemies to stay free. That was until she saw the dried blood splashed on her hoofs and pastern.

"Link," Naru shivered, pointing to the near black liquid.

He investigated it, turning to Zelda and saying, "It's not her blood." He sounded pleased.

"Then it is the enemy's," Zelda's eyes shimmered in morbid pleasure, her mind putting together a more precise image of her opponent. Link began to lift Naru up onto the roughened saddle, and once on the horse, she dusted and straightened her hand-me-down clothes with an air of pride. Zelda raised a brow at the familiar demeanor that mimicked her own in a time of crisis; a force of stability during chaos.

"Princess Zelda?" Naru reached for attention.

"Yes little one?" She responded, watching a rustling bush guardedly.

"Do we have any food?"

Link then pulled a wrapped piece of Zoran cuisine from his pack and handed it to her. She unwrapped it and ate it without thought before making a bothered face at the slimy texture of the aquatic lettuce.

Naru then said, "Why don't you both get on Epona?"

Zelda looked at the small saddle and shook her head. "It is far too small to fit all three of us."

"I can suck it in." Naru took in a deep breath.

Link laughed, "That won't help, we'd still get smushed together."

"Would you rather be squashed or walk for four days?" Naru crossed her arms with a smug expression. The two swapped glances of contemplation and, although the proposition of being so close to him challenged her inner prude, the chance at relaxation was enticing.

"I will only if Link does." She said humbly.

He took no time to jog to the saddle, practically leaping onto the creature's back. Zelda gingerly mounted as well, making a loud eep of surprise when she sat right on the raised edge. Link jumped down, nearly kicking her in the face in the process, and switched spots for her to be sandwiched between him and Naru. Zelda blushed profusely when she found any movement had her back rub against him. He seemed unfazed by the proximity, but for a woman still learning how to give and be comfortable in a hug, this was too much.

"Onwards!" Naru tried to stand up and raise her arm like a charging commander, pushing Zelda back to hit Link with the back of her diadem.

"Please no sudden movements! I apologise Link, the sooner we get to Kakariko the better." Her body grew stiff as a board and the party traveled across the ancient bridge.

…

Zelda faced the merchants' road ahead sternly. Hyrule Fields had changed since their last travels a few days ago. The sky was overcast and life was at a standstill, tense and devoid of movement out of felt anticipation. A dead silence was loud against her ears, eerie and unwelcoming. She purposely tried to not look at the castle for fear of what she would see, instead meeting the lifeless field.

Link hummed in concern. He knew that in the past these roads were infested by Blin mercenaries, whether Bokoblin or Bulblin they showed no discrimination in patrol units, but where were they now?

"Strange, is it not?" She commented in a hushed breath, focused like a lioness ready to pounce on any foe her way. The clopping of Epona's hooves echoed in empty air that trembled with each strike against the hot dirt.

They continued traveling without a single stop, pushing through the unease for hours until the sky began to break with the pink rays of oncoming evening. With the horizon filled with the Eldin Province, Zelda couldn't help but stare in astonishment. Din gave mortals the red earth, and as she skimmed her eyes over the awesome power and strength that colored each layer of the rock formations and canyons of the east, she felt humbled. So small was she in comparison to the mountains that had seen everything, yet it was mortals who were given the Gods' graces. From her tower, she could never understand how insignificant she truly was in comparison to everything else. To the Gods, she was an effect to their divine plan, but in a brief thought, she reconsidered her original idea; maybe she was the mountain given a clear-cut purpose, or maybe she was the traveler who scaled the mountain in whatever trail that pleased her. All paths held the same end, but it was the journey that made hers individual.

Link tried to look at her face, sounding concerned.

"Do not fear, I was merely thinking." She assured him, embarrassed at how he watched her as Impaz had. _Impaz…_ She felt her throat tighten.

"It's getting late," Link announced, "I don't think traveling at night would be wise."

Zelda agreed, and saw in the distance the tower of a crumbling Eldin Temple. She directed them to stay the night there, hopeful that maybe the priestesses still held its control. Epona was pointed to the Temple, and after a while, they arrived at the mouth of the elongated sanctuary. It was humble in architecture – the most intricate features being the scalloped stone pillars that lined the walls and the garden slightly visible. The ground was surprisingly well-kept and green, a hard contrast from the red and oranges of the valley, and dirt from an eastern wind was kicked everywhere.

Link and Zelda dismounted warily, keeping Naru up as they scanned the area. The wooden door was slightly ajar, footprints molded into the earth indicating a speedy escape. It was quiet, and the princess saw no smoke escape from the chimney and knew they had taken Din's Flame with them.

"No one appears to inhabit the Temple." Zelda rubbed her chin, unsure whether or not this was good news.

Link appeared unconvinced of her observations and unsheathed his weapons accordingly, turning to her before saying, "I'm going to scan the perimeter. You two stay here."

"And be victims to the wild? I am not familiar with Hyrule fields at night, mind you, I think it would more advantageous if Naru and I investigated inside." She crossed her arms and raised her brows in confidence. His teeth clenched, about to disagree with her until she added, "She needs to be prepared for these scenarios."

"I understand," He lightly groaned, helping Naru down from the saddle. His voice grew stern, "Listen to the Princess no matter what. If she says run, you run, got it?"

Naru nodded in equal solemnity, "Got it."

"She's all yours." Link tried to smile, handing to the Princess a small wooden slingshot and bag of what she assumed to be seeds. Zelda reached for the tool, and when their hands touched she peeked at his face unrelenting as ever. It was a threat, a fear, and a promise all at once, but most importantly – it was trust. Seconds became minutes within the world of his stare as he passed to her responsibility and assurance of keeping Naru safe. The obligation was suffocating, reminiscent almost in the most horrible way, like finding correlations within life and your nightmares.

She was the first to look away, holding the item firm in her position. She would keep her safe.

"What's that?" Naru made her face long to try and see the strange weapon.

Zelda handed to her the branch whittled to carry projectiles. "It seems your brother has deemed you ready to learn how to defend yourself. A slingshot is the best I could do."

Her small stubby hands gingerly reached to take it, trying to anticipate a joke or quick pull of the hand. Yet Zelda stayed still, and Naru snatched it away to adore it. Link began his patrol, and the girls jumped to theirs. Together, they pushed the ridgy door completely open, allowing the remaining daylight to fall at their feet like a welcome mat.

"Hello!" Naru greeted, her voice booming like rocks thrown against a tin plate. Zelda quickly snapped her tongue in a scolding manner.

"NEVER. Give your position to the enemy Naru. Stay silent as possible until the area is secure." Zelda eyed a shadow closely.

The child blushed. "Sorry."

Things appeared clear, so the two began their descent into the dark room. The torches began to light on their own, and Zelda summoned her estoc in care. They were standing in the atrium shared by an empty pit where the flames used to thrive.

"Did you ever fight in war Princess?" Naru rubbed her feet against the alabaster floor.

The monarch grunted in perplexity. "What brings this question?"

The two began to stroll down the large corridor. "Just curious."

A cricket serenaded them from outside. "No," Zelda checked behind a pillar, "I did not. The occasional tussle here and there with another kingdom required my attention but charging with my men – never."

"Why do you know so much about fighting then? Princesses in fairytales don't do that."

"You are correct. But life is no fairytale; I was required to be taught the art of war before I could swing my arms, and I believe I found the art of warfare to be oddly divine… if not also cruel." The last part didn't sound right aloud, so she edited, "I competed in a few tournaments in my youth, and in those few moments before I struck down my opponent, I felt only security. Secure in the control I had over my blade, over my safety, and over the future of my enemy...Mercy or revenge, Life or death, all were possible in that one instant. You have the power of a God."

Naru twisted her lips, brows furrowing. "Do you...want to be a God?"

The irony was heavy. "I– … No, I do not. I want control over my own possibilities, not that of another man," she paused for thought, "The power to give life was bestowed upon me from birth; the power to take was taught willingly. They work together to create a warrior, and that is why I know so much about the lifestyle without upholding the duty in war – I understand balances in our universe, that is all you need." When she finished, Naru seemed more interested in the scuttling sounds behind closed doors, pressing her ear against the wood and eyes wide in wonder.

"Stand back, " the princess commanded, opening the door just a crack to peer inside. It was a food storage room, and scurrying was a small Skulltula, fangs groping the dark. She quickly shut the door, shuddered from her fear of those blasted arachnids, and knelt in front of Naru.

"There is food within we could use, but a skulltula is blocking the way."

"So kill it!" Naru shivered at the sounds the creature made.

Zelda released a faint smile. "I am going to have you do the honors."

"What!" Naru shouted, "Are you going to help me at least?!" She threw her arms dramatically.

"If a man helps a butterfly free herself from her cocoon, her wings shalt be too weak to fly. Struggle is imperative to growth." She responded matter-of-factly. Naru didn't appear amused by the analogy and felt rather betrayed. "It is simple, merely do what you had in Ordon."

"That was an arrow, this is a pumpkin seed!" She rationalized.

"Even the smallest seed could destroy a castle with enough determination behind it." Zelda made the last analogy up to pester the already-antagonised girl, and laughed with her dark eyes at the animated emotions played by the damsel. When Naru crossed her arms and wrinkled her button nose, the adult matured, and with a cough Zelda said, "I believe in you, it is important you learn this skill early."

Her long tresses swished in thought as she played with the elastic of the slingshot. The mechanical clicks of the cogs in her brain bounced off the scuttling of pedipalps on wood. Link was heard from outside giving the clear, and Zelda took that as more reason to push her. "You need to keep your brother safe as well."

Maybe leaving your comfort zone was a good thing, was the idea that passed by Naru's eyes. Zelda was familiar with the face, and smiled when the seed bag was opened. The princess helped her position the tool, gave a quick tutorial of proper form, and when ready, she opened the door wide.

The arachnid stopped to stare the child down with its many eyes and scooped its pincers in hunger. She faltered, but Zelda stayed still on the sidelines, fingers twitching in anticipation. Naru prepared her weapon, pulling back hard on the elastic until she ran out of arm, and when the creature pounced, she catapulted the bullet seed straight through the skull-shaped abdomen. It squealed out, and green liquid splashed from the wound until the creature shriveled and erupted into ash. Naru looked at her hands, then back at Zelda.

"You did it." The princess smiled.

"It...wanted to eat me," She breathed out the realization.

"That is often the case. It died so you may survive, do not forget to thank it for that sacrifice."

Naru held the seeds tightly, placing the bag in her pocket and smiling. "Thank you for my possibilities."

The Princess gave Link the clear, and they set up camp within the atrium. Naru couldn't stop talking about the adrenaline and feeling of taking the shot. Link acted impressed, but she could see the sadness in his blue eyes. Zelda did not fall asleep that night, only listened to the crackle of the fire, and watched over her temporary family contently.

...

Princess Zelda had ended up, at some point in the night, in a state of hard napping, having tired her mind out from thinking too hard about not dreaming. Ironically, she feared sleep to the point where her body simply shut down to recharge in an odd state of conscious and unconsciousness where wakefulness was more tiring than fatigue. It made her head hurt just thinking about not thinking. The importance was that, because of this comatose state of dreamless dreaming, the party overslept. They shouted at each other at when they awakened, and rushed to pack up and be on their way. Link laughed the whole time while they struggled, able to find the joy in any occasion; Zelda imagined he could make a funeral seem like a birthday party if you allowed him. She could not find any comedy in chaos, but to each their own, she supposed.

They went on the road afterwards, and headed to the canyon only an hour away. They all stayed silent again, the occasional game of I-spy between the siblings being the majority of conversation. The sun was harsh here, beating down on them until each their strength drained through perspiration. The air left them feeling sticky and agitated, the wind too dry to alleviate the discomfort. What could be worse?

"Look!" Link shouted, pointing to a hoard of Bulblins that appeared to be scratching and banging at a locked metal gate adorned with sharp spikes and coated in a thick collage of ash and blood. Epona whinnied in aggression and Link unsheathed his sword.

"You stay here," He ordered as he dismounted, handing Zelda his bow and quiver.

"I will defend you from here," She nodded seriously while he gave a gentle smile.

He ran into battle without hesitation, and when the hideous creatures sensed his presence, they ran to meet him, waving their clubs sloppily. Individually their moves would have been useless, but because of their numbers, he was forced to dodge and weave in between slashes. For a few moments she saw adrenaline intermingled with pleasure on his face and she was frightened by how he seemed to enjoyed the fight, but the expression lasted only a second when ash began to rain like snow and he looked tortured in his movements.

Zelda prepared the bow and shot a righteous arrow into the heads of one, two, three monsters behind Link. Naru cheered at the safety of her big brother, shooting the occasional seed, but Zelda felt herself shiver at the snowflakes of death. Just two more left, and Link was able to rip through the Bulblin just before he was shoved down face first. Zelda's eyes widened but mouth stayed closed as she responded with the cry of a whistling arrow that shot through the armed hand of the beast prepared to strike the Hero. It let out a horrendous screech as it dropped its club, giving Link the proper time to gather himself and deal the finishing blow.

He immediately fell back down into a sitting position as Zelda led Epona to trot toward him. He was breathing heavily, tired but thankful for her assistance.

"What is this place?" Naru was intimidated by the gate.

Zelda pointed up to the sign above it barely hanging on by a rusty chain.

"Ka-Ka-Ri-Ko," She enunciated slowly, "Kakariko – We're here!"

There was a shout far above them, and taking a step back, they saw atop a large watch tower were two figures waving their arms at them.

"HEY!" Cried out Colin even louder this time. The boy was armed with a small sword and wooden shield, and appeared more confident than ever in this scenario.

The Ordonians waved and shouted out to him in response, jubilant and verging tears at the sight. Talo was with him, and sounded a low horn without second thought.

"They made it Princess Zelda, they made it!" Naru celebrated.

All three of them jumped off Epona, and Link removed a key from his pack, struggling to unlock the gate, too enraptured to stay still. They worked together to push it open, and once on the other side, he locked it.

A man walked toward them from within the canyon. He was tall and with skin the shade of tilled earth, his black hair twisted into careful tendrils clasped with silver. He radiated a grounded spiritualism, his leather dressing portrayed him as a mystic man. His sharp chestnut eyes and thick pierced brow raised into a smile when he noticed them and called out, "Your Highness! Link!"

The Ordon children zoomed past him and Naru met them halfway, jumping into their arms as they hugged and spoke all at once. Link ran to the man instead, who he greeted him in a firm handshake and laughed, "Renado! I knew everyone was going to be okay!"

"Mayor Bo told me you didn't make it to the evacuation trails, but nothing can stop the Hero of Twilight," Chief Shaman Renado's voice was calm and appeared to never reach a tone higher than a gasp. He turned to Princess Zelda and bowed to her out of respect. "Your Highness, you have no idea how glad I am to see you're safe."

"Are there any more survivors, Shaman Renado?" She questioned diplomatically, understanding all interest in her well-being did not extend to her as an individual, but as her purpose.

He responded, "Yes, quite a few really, from all walks of life. It appears our little town has become a makeshift refugee camp."

Zelda rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Any member of the aristocracy?"

Renado's wide mouth hardened into a grimace. "Come with me, Your Majesty, there is a lot to discuss. "

Just as they were about to leave Naru and Beth ran up them with puppy dog eyes. Beth gave a bratty whine and cadged, "Link can Naru _please_ come with us to the watch tower?"

The man clad in green appeared trepidatious to the idea of her being so far from him, but Zelda saw how firmly he trusted the village and its abilities as a stronghold. Originally from the blood on the gate and collapsing sign, she wasn't sure what to think of it, but the faith he had in Kakariko possessed her in that instant.

He nodded and the girls leaped in fits of childish joy as they scurried off to do whatever children their age did. "Who was that?" Renado asked, obviously not recalling the care of a fifth child of Ordon four years ago.

Link rubbed his neck and Zelda closed her eyes before sighing. "We have much to discuss indeed, Shaman Renado."

"Princess?" There was a soft voice enveloped in hopeful surprise that pulled her attention away from the man, onto the form of a small figure. With her cotton ball hair and wrinkled eyes red as rubies, she stood frozen in surprise; Zelda took a cautious step forward with her hand outstretched as the elderly woman waddled quickly to her saying, "Princess Zelda, by the Gods, is that really you?!"

"Impaz!" She choked on her unstoppable happiness as she ran forward, dropping to her knees and meeting her nursemaid halfway. Impaz gave an overjoyed laugh as she held the Princess' gloved hands in her own aged pair. Her skin was cold from worry, and the vibrant colors of her clothing had softened with dirt.

"Praise Hylia you are safe!" The elderly woman cupped her wet cheek.

"Impaz, I was so worried about you. Are you well?" Zelda warmed at the concern she was given, unable to contain the tears of joy that broke her walls.

The sheikah grinned at her. "Never been better. It's nice to be back in the Eldin Province, I can have my cats again. But this isn't about me Princess, we need to get you to the Sanctuary, then we may talk more."

Zelda nodded, standing up but allowing Impaz to still hold her hand. Renado led the way, and they followed, Link bringing Epona with him. He began to talk to her nursemaid, apologizing for not visiting her when in Castle Town, and asking how she was. Zelda listened in and chuckled when she heard Impaz warn Link about the ghost of her grandmother who haunted the lustful men after her. Link's response was surprisingly different from the usual cower, but rather, he seemed determined as well to keep the occasional pervert away. Out of a general respect for women or another motive she didn't know, nor cared to know. At this moment, she only savored the normalcy she felt for a breath with the people she cared for, and forgot for a hair's length the difficulty ahead.

* * *

 **So my birthday was about six days and I am officially *drum roll* 19 years old! :D Last year as a teenager, how exciting/terrifying !**

 **Special thanks to:**  
 **Ripple, Guest, Chimi-Chompa, and Supreme Bookworm**

 **A pretty small amount of people this month but what can you do right? ^^ Although my June+July visitor number was 556! That's amazing! 556 people read this story in a span of two months! I am blessed, you guys are so amazing!**  
 **This may be asking for much but as my birthday present it would be spectacular to get this story to 50 reviews! We are so close! I have to do something for you guys to show my thanks, I'm not sure what yet ^^'**

 **My lovely editor: SunnyAirisu222 (who also helped create the format for my new cover photo designed by me, thank girl)**

 **Hopefully the next update won't be so delayed (Sorry)**  
 **Please R &R questions, analysis, critiques, and maybe even a cupcake here and there are appreciated! See ya soon!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Welcome back everyone to the August update! School has probably started for most of us, and slowly my sanity is fading, leaving this story as they only thing saving my decaying mind (I am currently avoiding an essay due tomorrow). Thank you all so much for 5,500 views and one review away from the 50 mark! You are so amazing, you can't comprehend how overjoyed I am to see so many people enjoy my passion project!**

 **I won't hold you up too much, onto the story!**

* * *

As Zelda was led with her party through the dirt trodden streets of Kakariko, she witnessed things with infant eyes. The roads were overflowing with people from many walks of life, from those accustomed to having nothing to those accustomed to having everything. They were intermingled for the most part, but if you looked hard enough, the occasional gold of an earring would peek out from behind a sack-cloak. The buildings were crumbling just as fast as the people who were forced to inhabit them, fearful of a threat they prayed would leave.

When she was lead through the crowd, they stood from their squabble and silenced their cries and chatter to watch in disbelief as their princess walked with her head high. Her pace slowed as she allowed her eyes to wander them, but never linger. Their sadness and broken looks could kill her instantly with guilt, but she stayed their beacon of hope and poise, though she internally faltered.

"Y-Your Majesty!" Some began to drop into a long bow, voices cracking in tears. But many others could not contain their passion; they began to try and fling themselves at her, pushing their arms out to try and touch even a fine strand of hair victim to a breeze.

They screamed, "Princess Zelda!"

"Our Guardian–!"

"Princess Zelda–!"

"Save us–!"

They tried to pull her into them like a drowning person would their savior. Zelda unknowingly took a step back, overwhelmed by the fear she saw. What could she do for them? Her breath hitched at how useless she felt when peering into their eyes and seeing them expect so much more than she could give.

"You have to help us!" Men and women continued to try and smother her with open arms, Epona rearing at the discomfort they caused her and Link tried to stop them from being stomped on by her hard hooves.

Renado and Impaz tried to calm them, but they continued to frantically cry and weep. Lords and Ladies replaced composure with hysteria alongside the beggar and his family. One man was brave enough to breach the monarch's invisible wall and grab her painfully tight on both arms, forcing her to stare at the festering wound that took his left eye and shouted with missing teeth, "Look at what those damn things did to me eye!"

Zelda froze at the maggots eating away at the dead flesh around his socket. At the moment she could not help them.

Link jumped in and shoved the man to release her, his right arm shielded her and left hand reached for his blade. He began to ask them to relax, and they began to shout for him as Zelda's mind deviated to a consciousness focused on them. They wanted so much out of her as an idea, but as a mortal, she could give them nothing. _The melancholy of Hylia I suppose,_ she thought to herself, knowing this was every monarch's nightmare.

"I shall, as hard as I can, try to help you all," She muttered.

They continued their emotional onslaught and movements forward until a group of men clad in metal armor stepped forward and used their spears to push the horde back. One in particular began to shout, "Oi! Show some respect you animals, Her Royal Highness has gone through enough already!"

The crowd began to settle, but he continued to scold them like children. " How can She fix our problems if you don't let Her speak with those in charge, eh? This is Her Hyrule too you know!" It was then Zelda recognized the voice, as the soldier turned around, Impaz gave a loud chuckle.

"They don't make guards like you anymore Sutter," Impaz smiled.

He looked at Zelda and nodded, "M'Lady, you may proceed."

"Thank you," Link greeted her old escort with a smile.

As they left, they still called out her name, even if in a meep.

 _Princess Zelda!_

 _Princess Zelda!_

 _Princess Zelda!_

"Princess Zelda!" A thin woman had jumped her into a tight hug. Ilia immediately pulled away when Zelda stayed stiff as a board, and in embarrassment, bowed her head lowly. Elric was beside her and did the same, sharing in her pink cheeks. "I'm so sorry Your Highness, it's very inappropriate of me to keep hugging you like that."

Ilia and Elric stood together like guards in front of the Sanctuary's door, slight stains of dirt on their clothing but for the most part unscathed and healthy. Elric appeared to have a harsh scratch on his right cheek, and occasionally Ilia would rake her eyes over it in concern. He would then check over her for a moment with his warm irises, concerned with her cranium, possibly fearful of the trauma's effect on her. They would play this game of concern with one another while Zelda responded with, "No need to apologise; although I can not say I am accustomed to the expression, I understand it was done out of comradery, thus I am grateful. "

Ilia's emerald eyes sparkled, but when she turned to face Epona and her rider, it instantly morphed to uncontainable rage. "What is that!?" She growled, pointing to the blood stains and steaming.

Link's eyes widened and he stepped back in shock. "It's not hers!" He tried to defend himself, but she continued to chew him out.

"And you didn't even clean it?" She opened her hand and Link rolled his eyes before handing her the reins, knowing very well he could not win. She grinned, and grabbing Elric's hand said, "Come Elric, I can show you a thing or two about _properly_ taking care of a lady. Isn't that right, Epona?"

"I don't mean to interrupt," Renado stepped in to tower over them, "But Your Highness, we have pressing matters to attend to. "

"Of course. Shall you not be joining in the meeting, Ilia?" Zelda tilted her head.

The blonde raised a brow. "Why would I?"

"You are the Mayor's daughter. I would think it be your prerogative to enter the realm of ruling."

Ilia laughed awkwardly, "Oh I'm fine. You guys don't need me standing there being clueless." Elric gave her an odd look, but Zelda didn't have time to continue pressing the matter.

She glanced at Link before stepping inside, imploring him to join her. Without his aid, she may not be able to stand her ground.

…

The Kakariko sanctuary held an air of spirituality within itself, like she had traveled back to a very primal time focused more on necessity rather than comfort. Most places of healing held intricate stone work and forests of flowers to hide the stench of death, but here it did not try to disguise the inevitable. The rocky walls were dark where souls would flee to the spirit world, yet beside each shadow was a spot of paleness; this is where new life would enter, beaconed by the lit torches a few feet apart. The floor was made of dirt, methodically woven rugs being the only pause. A large stone effigy of the spirit Eldin was erected before a bowl of offerings ranging from candles to pieces of well-cooked food.

There was a large round table which appeared to have been recently placed in the center; a crowd of ten people stood around it in stern contemplation, but once the door shut behind her, they raised their heads.

The Resistance were the first to come and greet them – Rusl, Auru, Ashei, Shad, and even Telma.

"What a relief to see you're all safe!" Rusl gave Link a large paternal hug, and they laughed together. Shad and Ashei did the same, but not without Telma pushing them out of the way eventually to plant wet kisses all over the young man's face in her maternal joy.

She then winked at him, "I knew nothing could take you down, boy." For the most part they avoided any form of physical contact with Zelda, and showed their appreciation for her verbally. That was until Auru came to her with his lunky engineer's clothing and receding grey hair that the Hylian elder put his hand on her shoulder and used the other to shake her hand familiarly. They all paused when the grease on his fingers marked the white of her gloves.

"Princess Zelda," He greeted in a raspy voice, "Good to see you are well."

"As with you, Sir Auru." She smiled.

The group paused in confusion, but in an instant two voices said in unison, "He was her tutor." Impaz glared at the poultry-looking man who stepped forward. Alger scowled at the idea of sharing the comment with a raisin – the princess knew that was the exact insult he would use too.

"Last I checked _I_ was her courtier, not a raisin." He squawked harshly – she called it.

"Alger," Zelda wasn't sure how she felt seeing him, "Glad to see you had not hurt your ankle from fleeing after I was attacked." She hadn't meant to sound saucy, but his raised brow indicated it was taken as such. She assumed his thoughts must be toying with the idea of her staying stuck under the water or other atrocious things. He was the minority who hoped she hadn't returned.

"It pains me to cut the reunions short, but we have a kingdom to rebuild," Renado stepped in front of Alger dangerously, trying to defuse the tension forming.

"He's right you know." Impaz shrugged.

"Then let us not waste time." Her heart raced.

Link started to follow Zelda to the table, but was stopped by the talons of a spiteful courtier. "Ruling class only."

"He represents Ordon." Mayor Bo crossed his arms.

Alger didn't buy it, so Princess Zelda placed her hand on his outstretched arm and dug her fingertips into the tender flesh beneath his forearm. "He is with me. If I need him, you need him."

He contemplated something before harshly pulling his arm away from her, and wiped his brow with a handkerchief. Zelda tracked him closely until he returned to hover over the table. She asked Link if he was alright, and he smiled in thanks before following to stand behind her. Mayor Bo and Renado were on either side of her, solid and towering, but she didn't mind. Impaz, being too small to look over the table, was given a chair to sit on to the right of the Shaman, and surveilled the three new faces cautiously.

"Princess Zelda, the Rose of Hyrule." Alger introduced her with mock enthusiasm.

"Crown Princess of Hyrule," Renado added like a question.

The courtier raised a brow, "That is a topic for later...Your Highness, you are already familiar with Mayor Bo and Shaman Renado – who shall be acting as the Steward of Kakariko. To save time, I will merely introduce our guests."

Zelda nodded, and looked to a stout man whose face was built with a bulldog as a reference. The knife-sharpness of his ears were proudly shown against the oily slickness of his hair, and complimented the military vibe he emitted from his still body and disciplined teal eyes. His bushy mustache curled into a smile when Alger introduced, "Earl Kemp of Snowpeak."

Ashei made a sound of displeased recognition.

"I was unaware we had territory reaching Snowpeak." Zelda questioned.

His voice sounded like tumbling boulders, "It's a commonwealth at best, Your Majesty. The weather is too brutal to house villages or towns, but is excellent to train endurance." He grinned proudly.

"You run a military camp." Zelda announced.

"An infamously brutal one," Ashei added, but was ignored.

"Yes, I was originally Chief Military Advisor, and hope even now to be Hyrule's pillar of security. I sent word for my men to evacuate here, now I wait for them."

Zelda did not like the way his eyes were drawn to the flames of war. His blood-lust was apparent, he didn't wish to hide it, and that concerned her. King Daphnes probably chose him for just that, and Zelda inferred that this was the man supplying troops to try and overtake the Domain. She would watch him closely.

Next was a tall and slender man with a beautiful mane of blonde locks tamed thoughtfully, and a charismatic smile that was youthful despite his apparent age. He kept his hands behind his back, and cerulean orbs were stuck in a constant state of seduction.

"I apologise, but have we met?" She briefly leaned forward to get an idea of why he appeared so familiar.

"Not formally no…But I do believe you have met my son." He appeared satisfied by her words.

"Excuse me!" Alger screeched, "My job please!"

"Humor him," Impaz begged, covering her ears. The Lord and Princess implored him to continue.

"This is Viscount Osmar Harlan of Western Castle Town." Alger did an odd wave of his wrist trying to appear regal.

Zelda's heart dropped, and she stepped back to bump into Link's chest. He made an oof, and tapped her shoulder, wondering if she was alright. Her response was jumbled, but she kept her composure to say, "You are Lord Harlan's father," without a drip of distaste.

"Yes," He beamed, "My son says you were as beautiful as the legend led. Glad to say he is no liar."

 _Would you still be glad knowing your son is a cretin instead_ , she thought to herself. "And the young lord? I pray he is well." She lied.

To that the Viscount appeared troubled, eyes casted down and mouth pressed together. "I'm unsure if he is, Your Highness...I was not with him during the evacuation, and he has yet to appear here."

She feigned compassion, "All in due time, Lord Osmar, I am sure he is well." Had her hands not been on the table her fingers would have been crossed.

Next was a stick of a man with droopy bedroom eyes and an awkward grin. Alger introduced him as being Lord Fane, but Zelda already knew that. "You were a member of my council during my probationary period," she felt assured by his presence. At least one of them was on her side.

"Yes My Lady, handpicked by Late Queen Zelda the sixteenth, but expectedly let go after...well I shouldn't have to mention the obvious." He lowered his head shyly with an uncomfortable smirk. He didn't have much of a backbone, that may be an issue.

She looked over her makeshift council once more and tried to carefully plan out how she would go about this new environment. "Impaz," Her mind clicked, "Before we go any farther I would like to know everything about the invasion. What happened, what manifested it?"

The Sheikah elder closed her tired eyes and crossed her arms, deep in thought. "No one knows where it came from, but I have been around for many years, seen many wars, and I can assure you this was no army led by a King...," There was an air of relief, "...But something worse."

Princess Zelda felt Link tense behind her, could hear the sloshing of his chainmail as he shifted about nervously. Impaz continued, "I was in the servant's quarters planning to give the children a bedtime story – since without a princess this old nursemaid is useless – and in all honestly I was surprised King Daphnes didn't throw me in the dungeon or something, but he was so busy doing Gods know what and–"

"Impaz!" Zelda fixed to lower her voice, "Please, we do not have much time to waste."

"Right right, forgive me," She fluffed her white hair, "Well just as I was about to enter, there was a loud rumbling! I immediately got the children out of the room and directed them to the evacuation tunnels. I ran into the castle to retrieve a few possessions only to see the castle guards being attacked by these... _things._ I couldn't get a good look at what they were, but most were covered in a gaseous black, and appeared to look just like our men. I was able to escape just before the castle was...set aflame."

Zelda took deep breaths, stilling herself to flow like river water. "What did you go in to retrieve?"

Impaz peered into Zelda's eyes and looked behind her. There against the wall leaned two paintings, one of Queen Zelda XVI, the other of Princess Zelda with yellow paint in her eyes. She tilted her head in confusion, why of all things would these be what she'd risk her life for?

"They can take what they want, but they shall never have our legacy. They may try and erase the Kings and Queens of Old, but they can't take the pioneer of the Golden Age and her true heir." She grew stern, proud in her decision and unapologetic for her actions.

Zelda couldn't pull her eyes off the two paintings. That was until Mayor Bo decided to declared, "Then it's decided. Without a King, Zelda is Crown Princess of Hyrule." Her flesh whitened and eyes shot back to the table, legs going numb.

Alger gave a sick laugh, wagging his finger in disagreement. "That is where you are mistaken. She's not the only one who went back. There were important documents in the castle I didn't plan to leave behind either." He reached into the inner pockets of his coat and removed a slightly crumpled roll of paper. Zelda knew what it was immediately, drowning out the noise that filled the room, cursing the convenience of it all.

Mayor Bo and Renado bickered with the courtier, but Earl Kemp defended the legality of the paper. Counselor Fane just watched her, possibly expecting some reaction but quickly disappointed by her stillness.

"This is ridiculous, no King means the next heir should obtain power." Mayor Bo slammed his large hands on the table.

Viscount Osmar threw in his two cents. "Technically speaking, during war time without a King means the council should run the remaining nation. And with all due respect Princess, but the way the Twili invasion was handled was diplomatic suicide, you showed poor rulership what with surrendering immediately."

"Says the Viscount who doesn't even manage anything–" Mayor Bo was interrupted.

"–This isn't much of a council, we should take a vote." Renado pinched the bridge of his nose.

Alger rolled his eyes dramatically, "Nonetheless she cannot be the crown princess until proven mentally stable. I mean look at her, she's not even here."

To that Zelda stared daggers at him, the table watching her in anticipation like children waiting for an animal to move. She opened her mouth to speak, but Earl Kemp's voice sounded instead. "She shouldn't be here to begin with, of course she's going to fight for her control no matter what we do. I say for the moment we leave her in the jail, it's the only empty building here."

With that little idea, Zelda's eyes widened and limbs froze as people pushed and shoved her to try and voice their opinion. Little did they know that she was slipping farther away from reality at the fear of a dark cell, her eyes fogging over at a painful memory.

" _No, please!" The rose thrashed in the arms of those sworn to protect her. Her leaves were damaged after spending so long locked within her garden that she imagined she would be glad to be freed. But this was not the case, for even with the serpent banished from her lands a snake still slithered in her home._

 _The guard who dared not to see her took the rose to a dark and murky room devoid of life and buried in dread. She begged him to let her go, but he ignored her pleas with difficulty. He casted her down onto the stone floor, her stem being scraped and injured upon impact._

" _I...I'm sorry." The guard whispered to her before taking his torch and leaving the dungeon._

" _No!" She cried, "Not the light! Do not leave me in the dark!" She wailed until her lungs burned. She gripped the cold bars of her cell until her leaves became numb, shaking and beating them to try and escape the darkness that consumed her. She crawled into a corner and tried to shield herself from the beasts that wished to take her. She cried out to the sun and the friend, cursing the false King for torturing her so._

 _Ghosts and Phantoms cried out her name, demons hungered for her fear, and she screamed until she lost her voice. She clawed at the walls until her thorns came off, and by the time the guards came to cast her back into her dying garden, she was limp and dried out, walls of both prisons covered in her pain. She laid on the floor until she was dragged out again into a different room. A room of shifty judgemental eyes that saw the perennial as a weed unfit to blossom._

Zelda saw nothing but the blurry hum of her ghosts. Her heart pounded and muted the arguing voices. She tried to walk through the pillar which was Link to no avail; he stopped her retreat, pushing to see her soulless face, but when his hand touched her shoulder the paranoia grew tired. For an instant she was released of her stupor and saw only him, the medicinal glow of his cerulean eyes and rays of hope through her shadows of neurosis. He held both concern and a question: hadn't she wanted to rule again? Well, yes. Then why isn't she fighting for the right? Well, who knows. And since when did the Princess of Hyrule not try? Well, never.

She exhaled her trepidations, and glancing back at the painting with flecks of gold, she saw a reflection of the person she dearly missed. So with the pressure of Link's hand on her back pushing her forward and the fervid pigment in mind, she thought to herself, _"What would the Hero do?"_

"Enough!" She clamored, closing her eyes and crossing her arms tightly, "Heir or not I am still the Princess of Hyrule and require respect! Just because there is an invasion does not mean we can behave as uncivilized dogs – no one shall be left in any blasted dungeon unless they have committed a crime, is that understood?"

The room was deathly silent, even Alger had stopped his tweets. She heard Link smile behind her, and Renado held an expression of relief. Her eyelids swung open, strong orbs watching them all with the danger of an upcoming storm, blue pools deep enough to drown in. When she was pleased with their attention, the monarch proceeded. "Good. Now I did not come here to have us all bicker over something as mundane as crownship when there might not even be a kingdom to rule over. If you do not wish to have me act as Princess Royal then fine, I am more willing to uphold a vote for the leadership position if it means putting you all at ease. I would rather have us work as a parliamentary monarchy than as babbling fools, and if you are so scared of my influence then I shall give up my vote so there can only be a majority." She hummed in pride.

Mayor Bo looked to the men and laughed, "You know where my loyalty lies. Zelda as Princess Royal."

Lord Kemp made a noise of disapproval, and without turning her head, Zelda saw from the corner of her eye the Earl bite his thumb childishly. "I'd have to disagree. War-time should require martial law, and the only ones capable of that are me and the Resistance knights. I vote for myself as Steward."

Link pondered the legality of his choice, but Zelda assured him it was a possible move. Renado was next, and he stayed brief. "Zelda as Princess Royal."

 _Two to one_ , she mentally kept track. Although she said the outcome didn't bother her, in reality she found the possibility of winning or losing gnawed at her insides like a starved rat. Lord Osmar gave the impression of being very fraught as if he was choosing between which child he liked better. "I would have to agree with Lord Kemp, for now we could use all military power as we can. Earl Kemp as Steward."

 _Damn it!_ She cursed to herself, biting on the inside of her cheek until the soft flesh was oozing blood. Counselor Fane was the only thing between her and her nation, and all he did was give his cheeky smile and nod his head. Out of all of her council, the coward had to be the only survivor? She immediately apologized for the last thought.

"Well?" Alger nudged.

"I-I'm thinking." He stuttered.

"We haven't all day!" Ashei shouted from the sidelines, her crew smacking her to stay out of it.

"I would have to say…" He trailed off.

"Yes?" Alger said through clenched teeth, quiver in hand twitching slightly.

"Uh…" He looked pressured under the glares.

Lord Kemp raised a hand to him. "Spit it out you fool!"

"Lay a finger on him and you deal with me Lord Kemp." Zelda challenged, burying away her emotions like she always had with a callous grimace. The Earl took the offer and declined, lowering his hand.

"Okay Okay, Zelda as Princess Royal! I choose Zelda as Princess Royal!" He shielded himself. The Resistance and Link gave a sigh of relief, whereas Alger and the two lords closed their mouths and stood uncomfortably like children after being scolded.

Her body sang in a hushed joy that was her aspirations, her mind still slow to the fact that she was given a chance once more. Her happiness hushed her self doubt for a time, and keeping with the momentum, she stated, "It has been decided then."

Alger rolled his eyes and begrudgingly wrote in his parchment. "Princess Zelda the Seventeenth was lawfully elected by the Council…"

"Council Nohansen: the Council of Lions." She finished.

"What a fine name Your Highness – no doubt there will be Kings named after this regime of courage and leadership!" Renado cheered.

"Elected by Council Nohansen to be Princess Royal during King Daphnes the Third's absence." Alger hated her behind the cover of his paper, and once finished, required each and everyone of them to sign the decree. When it got to her, she paused before grabbing the quill.

"How about you sign it for me, you were getting so good at it too." She snapped pettily, smirking with a raised brow.

 _No, that didn't happen_ , she mentally scolded herself for never acting on her thoughts. She had actually signed the paper with little to no thought, and set down the quill when finished. Now she had an empire to save.

"Since this has been taken care of, back to the matter at hand. They used a surprise attack, and were engulfed in black, you say. The Twili worked the same way..." She trailed off in thought, simultaneously regretting her decision to end on that sentence when Link appeared offended by the statement.

He pushed forward to add, "But the Twilight Realm has been sealed off from the Realm of Light for four years. The Mirror was destroyed."

The princess looked at him and added, "As true as that is, dark magic is apparently at work, one similar to that which possessed the Twili people."

Impaz messed with her tuffs of hair. "Who would be wielding that kind of power though?"

"Perhaps Neighsdon had a change of heart and chose mysticism over secularism?" Viscount Osmar set down a far-fetched idea.

Alger laughed, "Nonsense, why would they attack an ally? Especially after they accepted Princess Zelda's–"

"Why would they attack a kingdom they already received heavy support from, and go against the Companions Convention?" Zelda rushed to cut the courtier off, forehead cold in sweat as she looked to see if Link was understanding any of it. "Did any of you get a look at who was leading?"

The group looked at one another. That was when Telma came, walking to stand beside Renado and giving him a wink, to which he shook his head. "I was in Castle Town at the time," she began, "Sadly I couldn't make it to the wedding – sorry babies – so I was stuck taking care of the bar when people started screaming outside. I went out to check what was going on, and saw exactly what Miss Impaz described, and a little more. Just before I escaped I saw a man on a horse – a boulder of a man with a hood over his head and dark paper-thin skin. In all honesty, he looked like an old man, if it wasn't for his undone red hair."

Zelda and Link made a hard gasp, bodies cold and chests banging with dread. She had tried to anticipate the worst, but even that could not stop the feeling of attack. Her knight was in denial, shaking his head and trying to assure himself, "I know what you're thinking and that isn't possible."

"Sir Link, please, you have to understand how this all sounds." Viscount Osmar waved his hand as he talked.

"I have to agree with Link's doubt; we watched the Gerudo King perish with our very eyes, there was nothing left of him." She attempted to assure them and herself the possibility that it _wasn't_ who they thought it was. "And even if it was, we would still be able to overcome this. The Gods are forever on our side."

There was a tussle outside, and the doors opened to the small hunched-over figure of a decrepit man with large glasses and wiry hair. "And what makes you say that." He snarled bitterly. She recognized him as one of the few doctors in Castle Town, his reputation of being unsympathetic and harsh was burnt into his demeanor. Behind him was the town, huddled and fearful, listening to what the two had to say. He spat at her, "The Gods have done nothing for anybody here. Did the Gods save me when they destroyed my clinic? Did they bat an eye when these people watched their friends and family try and escape the city? You can't obviously expect us to believe to have faith in this mumbo-jumbo nonsense."

Alger stepped to shout back, "How dare you speak to your Princess–"

Zelda silenced him with the extension of her arm. "What more do we have but our faith?" The crowd began to murmur, some convinced, others still watching her with weary eyes. "I do not have all the answers, and maybe this is all for naught. But what I do know is that they gave us a Hero, and if he's saved us once," she looked to him with a sad smile, "I know he can do it again."

Link cracked a smile, stepping to stand in front of them all and clenching his fist. "I swear to protect Hyrule and her people no matter the cost."

She saw his light fill their eyes until they were brimming with hope and security. He shone like a torch hotter than the sun that led her people through the darkness. They were pleased for the time being, slowly exiting the premise one by one until the door was shut and locked respectively. Morale was a big key in this game, Zelda figured, and although the cogs of running a kingdom were many, she accepted the challenge.

The Resistance now acted as a platoon of bodyguards, although Ashei insisted her husband stay on the other side of the room away from danger. Zelda put him to use, sending him to fetch the blue-haired wonder. "What do you recommend we do Your Highness? How do you expect we take back our home?" Impaz questioned.

That was when Naru entered the room, awestruck by the large dome and the strange people within it. Link motioned her over, to which she responded by quickly scurrying to his side, watching Zelda for an inkling of context. Mayor Bo and Rusl looked to the child and Princess quizzically, which planted within Zelda a seed of doubt. What if they thought her mad? What if they didn't believe her and this whole plan blew up into her face? What kind of plan was it really?

All eyes were on her. Those hungry, unapologetic eyes; half of which belonged to men who wanted nothing more than to see her fall. Can they tell she was frightened? No, they can not– will not see the concern that infected her brain like small pox. Her tongue was tied; the room was a lot hotter than before and her throat was dry. _Say it you fool,_ she chided herself.

"Your Majesty, eh... why is Naru here?" Mayor Bo scratched his head.

"She…" Zelda choked on her words, hurting by her own self inflicted wounds of insecurities and mistrust. _Pull yourself together!_ She mentally screamed, slamming herself against the confines of her mind until the bones of thought broke; all the while standing motionless before her council. That was, until she caught a whiff of fragrant rose perfume, light and dainty, reminiscent of her latest present from someone dear to her. "She is the Goddess Nayru born into mortal flesh."

Everyone instantly jumped into questions and chatters, loud and obnoxious all talking over each other until there was a constant key of noise. Naru became concerned as they threw their arms in her direction, and then at each other, bickering until blue in the face. Even the Resistance joined the clamorous discussion, to which Zelda chuckled at how for the first time in a while she was the calmest in the room.

"Listen!" She commanded them to lend her their ears, "Let me explain. Those of you who lived within the castle know that for many months I was plagued with a nightmare – that of which I understand now to have been a premonition." She casted Alger an I-told-you-so stare. "This premonition foretold a darkness. But within this darkness was light – three orbs of light to be exact, and I see now it was the Goddesses warning me of their fall from divinity."

Viscount Osmar asked breathlessly, "But why would they do such a thing?"

"Lack of faith," Naru pouted at the eyes who looked at her like she was a science experiment, "The spirits say no one cares anymore, and if you don't believe in the spirits, they die."

"So Nayru, Din, and Farore are dead?" Alger raised an eyebrow skeptically.

Zelda shook her head. "No...Yes...Maybe – This was a last resort – live in the mortal realm to experience mortal suffering and better understand their people. Impaz, you of all people must understand."

The Sheikah waved her hand at the woman. "Leave me out of this, this is between you and your council. But if you want my opinion, it's not too far fetched. I can see the spiritual stone under her tunic, child; if King Ralis of the Zora people believes her, so do I."

"If you can believe I have Hylia's soul, how is this any different?" She implored.

"With all due respect Your Highness, but being a reincarnation and being _that_ person require whole new levels of trust." Earl Kemp reasoned.

The group exchanged glances. Zelda spoke before they had time to better process their thoughts. "I simply beg you to consider believing in the legends our people were founded on. There are more like Naru, I feel it with every fiber in my being. And if I can feel it, then the darkness can feel it, and in all honesty, I ponder the probability that they are looking for the other two girls as well. No wonder they attacked Ordon: they knew Naru was there."

Their faces showed they gave her the benefit of the doubt, and the happy squeals of women emanated from below their feet. Princess Zelda jumped, and looked at the owl statue that sang out to them. Renado blushed, and jumped to move the effigy, revealing a hidden room beneath them. Lanayru virgins peered up at them with elated grins, extending their hands to Naru who cringed at the sight of them.

"Blessed Mother, allow us to worship You properly!" They cried out happily.

"No!" Naru growled, still traumatized from the last batch of adoring hands. "I'm not a doll, no dressing me up! I-I'll smite you!...or something."

They continued to cry out to her, and Zelda questioned Renado. He sighed, "The priestesses of all three temples insisted in living below the sanctuary. They said it is humbling to allow others proper lodging over them."

"Where are you going to start searching first Your Highness?" Earl Kemp asked, eyeing the odd hair and strange mark on the child's hand.

"Why not the Goron," Link offered, "They might have Din _and_ the spiritual stone."

"Excellent plan!" She praised, trying to act as platonic as possible but unable to hide her smile. The meeting was adjourned, each side returning to their respective clique. Link and Zelda were called by Rusl and a visibly perturbed Renado, entering the band of trust that was the Resistance.

"Is there an issue?" Zelda watched their shifts in expression.

"Yes actually, there is," Renado grimaced, "Some of the Lords staying here didn't feel comfortable to the idea of having Gorons walking Kakariko streets, and took it upon themselves to make sure they couldn't enter the town." Link's mouth opened in a mute shout at the gall of it all. She admitted the fact made her blood boil. "If you do see them it will have to be on Death Mountain. Link, I know you can make it up there just fine, but Princess Zelda...Well, I don't mean to speak out of line, but I couldn't help but notice your mind tends to–"

"I am fine." She cut with a hard snap. He silenced himself, instead showing them to where they would be staying for the time being.

…

Even with the sun set far below the horizon the world was still undeniably hot and sluggish. Princess Zelda waited outside listening to the symphony of grasshoppers happy to sing to the desert moon. The village was now reminiscent of a ghost town – the effect of a wartime curfew she supposed – Sutter being one of the few Hylian guards standing watch. Even though they trembled in their greaves, not trained for actual combat, she saw within a select few the potential of valor and heroics for the greater good. Sutter was once so timid and fearful of these strange specters, yet here he looked ready to lead an army.

Looking back, she listened to the gentle rush of water from the Eldin Spring, savoring the smell of cold air that radiated from its surface that conflicted with the humidity of Kakariko. The Sanctuary door opened with Alger being the first to saunter out of his coop and leer at her threateningly. He stopped when standing her height, looking her up and down before curling his beak of a nose upwards.

"Don't think you are out of the clear Princess. I heard you threaten the King before you left, and the moment he returns, you are over." He verbally shoved.

She stayed apathetic with dark blue eyes and dusty rose lips being the only movement on her person. "What makes you so sure he is even alive if you were wrong about my dreams? Your prediction abilities are very weak Alger, do not quit your day job." She pushed past him, walking elegantly to meet with Renado and others who were beginning to exit as well.

"Princess Zelda, I was preparing to lead you to the watch tower where you would be most protected and well fed, but after thinking on it, I am sure you would rather stay at the Village Inn with the others." He laughed.

"It is as if you read my mind." She heard Alger storm off.

The Elde Inn was neighbor to the unbelievable Malo Mart and beneath one of the many Hot Springs native to the Death Mountain area, as explained by the Shaman. It was two stories of red and white brick, its flag was a stripped tarp that hung limply from the first roof. Renado opened the door for her, and she gracefully glided into the poorly lit lobby of the Inn. Her nose was greeted with the stench of perspiration and salt from tears, eyes filled with the image of grimy dark faces with the occasional sheen of a once-regal life, and ears deafened by the cry of a bothered baby. The people stood up from their cots on the stone floor and behind the bar, just staring at the porcelain glow of their princess's skin, at the fine embroidery in her gown and banner made of fine silks attached on the front of her chemise with golden pieces. They dropped to a bow, parting to allow her a path to the stairs. Her boots walked over broken wood and trash, and she was disheartened.

This was the life of her people. A life of grunge and squalor caused by her decisions. But could that statement really be true? In all honesty she felt at fault – her mind held her to blame, she knew the consequences. _You leave the castle, people die,_ it told her until it was cut into her skin. Yet, like a light at the end of the tunnel, the sound of Link's assurance argued the concept. Who could she believe? Who did she want to believe?

"Stand." She commanded, not needing their praise when guilt made her belly ache. They complied with smiles, whilst she continued up the stairs blankly with a heavy mind. On the second floor there were a few rooms, most appearing have been recently under construction before the invasion. Renado motioned to her room; the last on the floor with a basic bed in the corner, table on the opposite wall and dresser to the right of it. She strolled in and sat in the chair of the table, sifting through the blank parchment and messing with the feathered quill.

"Thank you Shaman. I will see you tomorrow then," She said softly. He left her to her thoughts, and she began to scribble on the parchment.

She gave the date and her name, and in as much detail as possible, she began to recount the events she'd experienced. This history of Hyrule should not be ignored, nor should it be rewritten to appease the political agenda of a courtier or bias of his scribes. _I should have Shad continue this,_ she said mentally as she tried her best to recall each statement made by King Ralis as well as Regis. When she came to the decision of visiting Death Mountain, the quill was cast back into its ink pot, and she stretched in her seat.

There was a knock.

"Enter."

Link carefully opened the door, peeking in and grinning when he saw her. What a sweet smile, a smile of friendship she disappointingly reminded herself. What kind of smile did he give _her_?

"You look settled," He announced, walking in and crossing his arms, hair glowing against the candlelight.

"I am more accustomed to living indoors," she joked, earning herself a chuckle like honey, "Where is Naru?"

"Downstairs in the children's room."

She nodded, standing up from the table and walking over to the man clad in green. He gave a yawn with eyes filled with the sands of sleep. "Well, time to go to bed." He stayed in his spot and she turned a cherry red. Did he intend to sleep in the same room as she? Looking back at the small bed, her heart raced at the idea of doing something so lewd with a man not called her husband. Her eyes rushed to glance back and forth at the floor, trying to stay still but filling the air with discomfort.

Link must have picked up on the vibes and gasped in shock, holding his hands out to her but not touching a hair. He stuttered, "Oh I'm sorry, do you need the whole floor or something? I thought the next room was appropriate enough for a commoner to be near a Princess, or is it just a girl thing?"

 _He is staying in the next room_ , she sighed to herself, now red in embarrassment from her misunderstanding. "No no, it is fine." She assured him. They held each other's stare, and he was proud of her for standing up for herself. He liked to see her take charge, and she liked being able to make a difference, no matter how frightening it may be.

"You no longer are in the possession of the Master Sword, are you?" she frowned, looking at the bland hilt of his sword. He shook his head and she sighed, understanding that he had no use for it before. "We may have to retrieve it aswell ...Just in case."

He laughed, "With that Skull Kid lurking in there, it won't be easy."

"Owen look!" A small red headed child pointed at the Princess from the doorway with shimmering eyes.

A young woman rushed in and grabbed the child's pointing finger and scolded him, having just ran up the stairs as seen by the disheveled amber hair peeking out behind a slipping bandana. "Your Majesty!" the woman no older than seventeen bowed her head "I am so sorry, he just ran up here."

"Is this your son?" Zelda asked.

She peered up with cool grey eyes but quickly looked back down. "No Your Highness, he is my nephew." She reached up to push the child into a bow, but he wanted to just look at the heroes before him. Princess Zelda walked to him, and dropped to her knees.

"And what is thine name child?" She asked him.

"I'm Ocus, and this is my aunt Owen." His rosy cheeks were dotted in freckles.

The humbled monarch nodded. "Rise Owen, Aunt of Ocus." The girl did so, and she continued, "Ocus, do you enjoy stories?"

He pondered it. "Yeah, like bedtime stories?"

"Like bedtime stories," Zelda beamed, "Gather as many people as you can who enjoy bedtime stories and bring them here. "

He saluted in pride of his task, "Yes Your Highness!" He ran off with a spring in his step, and Link seemed impressed.

Owen was blue with dread. "Oh no Your Majesty, you don't have to do this for us, no need to–"

"Nonsense Miss Owen, I find enjoyment in this. If you do not mind, I find myself curious as to thine story." Zelda implored her.

"Oh Your Highness, I am nothing important–"

"Humor me." She insisted with an opened palm.

The girl looked from the extended hand to the haunting eyes of the princess, ten more freckles seemed to appear on her face.

"We...No one saw them coming...My family lived on a small ranch recently made in the fields, nothing too spectacular, just my parents and my brothers family living off the land. When those creatures came, they...they looked just like my brother Iru as they destroyed everything. I took Ocus and ran, but the rest of our family haven't shown up yet…" A tear streamed down her cheek.

Zelda closed her eyes as she felt the pain of loss wash over her. "I am so sorry for what you have been through–."

"Are we going to get our home back?" Owen said between cries, eyes heavy with a bitter disdain for whoever took her family.

Princess Zelda saw this as an opportunity to destroy the barrier between class, to act only as mortal beings related in suffering and make a difference in the life of a stranger. She grabbed her dirtied hands that left smudges on her white gloves and held them up. The Princess squeezed them in affirmation and swore, "I will do everything in my power to try and free our home. Hyrule is _our_ Kingdom, and we will not stand to see her destroyed." Her words filled the girl with optimism, and looking at Link, Zelda saw a glow of genuine belief.

She silently mouthed thank you, and once catching her voice, she continued, "I was told your Grandmother, Queen Zelda the Sixteenth, was the kindest ruler Hyrule had ever seen...I'm glad to see you've inherited her traits." Owen ran off to find Ocus and the crowd he promised to bring.

"I think I will tell them the story of Twilight. Would you be so kind as to help me?" She questioned.

"People really like your Grandmother huh?" He asked, purposely avoiding her proposition for a moment.

"She did the most for her people no matter what. Someday I wish to be as loved by my actions just as she." Zelda caught his stare, but he did not look away.

Link merely saw her standing beside him just as he had many nights ago and simpered. "You already are."

Ocus and Owen broke their moment of stillness with a band of ten, maybe twenty people (a minority being children to Zelda's surprise). They sat down on the floor in wonder, praying for a distraction of any kind. The Princess sat in her chair and Link stood beside her; Impaz and the Resistance waved in the back.

Zelda began, "This is one of the many legends of our people told throughout the ages. It is one of a Princess…" She trailed off to look up at Link.

He finished with pride on his face, " And a rancher…"

* * *

 **Special thanks to:**

 **BlueInkWrites, Ripple(guest), Batguy2000, Uhh random guy(Guest), Nil0, The King in White, Flametwister and starbornshine.**

 **Nil0 went above and beyond by leaving reviews for each chapter and I can't help but acknowledge how much I enjoyed reading them, specifically because he has never played the games to begin with yet has taken the time to ready this fanfic. Welcome to the Fandom! My editor SunnyAirisu222 isn't a Zelda fan either so I'm glad to hear it's not too convoluted of a story^^'**  
 **The King in White also left a short but too-the-point review on Zelda's internal monologue, and it inspired me to leave an English-class question in celebration for the new school year.**

 _ **How does the Point of View affect the story? Is Zelda a reliable narrator?**_

 **My lovely editor who stops me from making a fool of myself with all my grammatical/spelling errors: SunnyAirisu22**

 **Alright my lovelies, good luck with school (or work)! Stay hydrated, don't talk to strangers, and don't forget to smile :)** **Please R &R and see you next month!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Welcome back my lovelies to the September update where I continue to hide from an upcoming essay due date :D Before I jump right into it I wanted to thank SunnyAirisu222 for not only giving 110% to help fix this chapter when I thought it was a mess, but for adding the text and formating my cover picture! Thanks doll!  
**

 **Now without further ado!**

* * *

Death Mountain was the location where Din began her diligent creation of the red earth. It boomed within the great volcano, and became the home and sacred land of the Goron tribe. To some theologians it was theorized that Din's flame was given to the Eldin Virgins from a plume created by the inferno of lava at the volcano's heart. The air at the base of the location was very hot and dry, unlike the sticky humidity down in Kakariko. The moment sweat formed on the Princess's brow it sizzled like a fried egg and evaporated. Maybe that was a bit too dramatic, but it summed up how she felt about the heat: like a fried egg.

Princess Zelda was relieved that she had taken the time this morning to dampen a white cloth that she wore over her head to keep cool, and blessed her linen chemise helped. Summers in Castle Town were never this harsh; then again, the castle was not near an active volcano. She had left her pauldrons in her room, using the cloth to guard her shoulders and head from the sun's rays. Link appeared to show no sign of struggle with the feverish weather, and seemed to rather enjoy jumping and climbing about. Warm colors were Zelda's least favorite, and there's plenty here to dislike – the only break came from the cool silver of metal beams and wire sheets.

Link would occasionally look back and offer her a sip of water, to which she would politely accept and continue following. He was very refreshed-looking, whereas she had a cloud of fatigue hanging over her which was why he insisted she take a drink. No amount of liquid would bring back the hours of a sleepless night that succeeded the same nightmare she had while in Ordon, although now it held a little more weight in the back of her mind. She needed a drink, but water wasn't going to cut it.

"Are you not burning?" She pestered him when they stopped at the foot of metal platforms.

He laughed and shook his head, amused by her struggle.

"Oh, look at you Sir Knight, laughing at a Princess, very mature of you." She took the damp cloth and plopped it on his head. He jumped as the water soaked his hat and raised a brow. Link tried to imitate her posture and the feminine way she would place her hand on her chest and move her arms like a ballerina.

"Are you mocking me?" She raised a brow and said with hilarity.

He raised his voice to a falsetto pitch and mimicked her opulent cadence comically, "Of course not, I just can _not_ take summer weather because I am a baby. Are you laughing at a Princess?!" She lightly smacked his arm and retrieved her veil as they enjoyed the sound of each other's laughter.

"I do not sound like that." There was a rumble.

An elderly Goron came down from the platform slowly with small indigo eyes, wide and wrinkled skin cracking into a smile. "Brudda Link is that you?" He greeted.

"Gor Coron!" Link waved to the the rocky man.

Gor Coron waddled over to him and pounded his chest with a hard thud, and Link did the same. Princess Zelda was surprised to think that this man with fading tattoos on melting golden skin was a famous warrior. Age was a damned thing.

Link extended his hand out toward the Princess, Gor Coron pounding his chest respectively. "Princess Zelda of Hyrule, what a pleasant surprise."

She took her hand and pounded her own sternum in response, earning a small smile from the Goron man. "Elder Gor Coron; how is young Patriarch Darbus?"

"He's a good leader, although he can be hot-headed. As you can see he's prohibited our people from leaving the mountain." He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

Princess Zelda made a puzzled sound. "I am sorry? I was under the impression by Shaman Renado that a few of our obnoxious guests within the village banned you from leaving?" Link made a noise of shock, but could he really be surprised anymore by her unfiltered mouth?

There was an embarrassed sigh. "You are right, but Darbus likes to think it was his idea instead," He frowned, "Anyways, what can I do for you? I presume you're here to escape whatever is happening down there Princess? Nasty mess, we saw it from here, the flames–"

"We are here for the Spiritual Stone," she interrupted, not wanting to be reminded of her sins, "...amongst other things."

He scratched the receding hairline (she assumed it was hair on his head, but at this angle it could have been strands of minerals) and grumbled to himself. "I'm sorry Princess, but we haven't been in possession of our ruby for centuries."

Link rubbed his chin in thought, Zelda locked in perpetual discomfort. The rancher boy chimed in. "Then have you seen a child? As in, has a kid appeared out of nowhere with a birthmark on her hand?"

Gor Coron gave a surprised cough and the volcano rumbled behind him. "No – Brudda Link, what is going on here? Is there something I should know about?"

Link opened his mouth to answer, but Zelda spoke for him, eyes closed tight in aggravation. "I shall send Renado to bring you up to speed, we must be off though," She pounded her chest a little too hard, "Gor Coron. I hope you will eventually come down to Kakariko, we could use your assistance whether they like it or not."

He did the same with a concerned look. "Princess Zelda."

…

"Hey!" Link cried out to her as she hastily moved to wring out her cloth on a thin bush sprouting beside the bomb shop.

"If they do not have a Spiritual Stone, then I have no idea where to start." She gripped the fabric in a vice, head throbbing in stress. The hero walked up to her, pulling the item out of her hand softly and putting a hand on her shoulder. He gave a nervous smile, peering into her eyes and then back at the village implying a tour this warm afternoon. He twitched his fingers wanting her to unwind and relax for a moment, to live free of looming pessimism for a time.

She followed his eyes to semi-filled streets where people stiffly tried to interact with one another and assimilate to life in the canyon. A luthier looked to be setting up a small shop beneath a barren tree, using what little supplies he had available to continue his passion of string instruments.

 _That would make Naru happy to see_ , she thought to herself, eyeing an unfinished lyre. Turning back to face Link Zelda believed a nice trip could help her forget her strife. "Alright, let us take a walk then." The Princess stayed visibly lethargic but emotionally sound.

Link led the way, extending an elbow out for her to grab and putting the dry cloth on his head again. She raised a brow, to which he fluttered his eyelids to say something around, "If Alger catches me with you, I'll pretend to be a lady-in-waiting" or "I'm trying to cheer you up, don't question it".

She hid a smile, allowing him to walk her into the bomb shop they were standing beside. The inside was an odd plethora of metal and heat, smelling like gunpowder and burnt cloth with a hint of sweat coming from the shopkeeper who avoided her stare by pulling his mask over his face. This man was Barnes, a Kakariko local who ran the bomb shop with a round belly and clothes too small for his light skin and thin arms. He bowed to her, hitting his mask on the table and stumbling back clumsily. With Link, he removed it to reveal round spectacles and fiery red hair, watching Link oddly.

"What's with the thing on your head?" He asked.

Link patted it down and questioned, "You don't think it suits me?"

Barnes grumbled to himself, Zelda wondering if she heard him say "the things boys do for girls" or if someone considering them a potential couple was all in her head. A girl could dream.

"Mister Barnes, how art thou?" She pondered, wondering if the embargo with the castle may have slowed production.

He crossed his arms, grunting unhappily, "I can't get my supplies because you politicians–" He quickly choked on his statement, her icy stare assured she would not be associated with that class, "...because _those_ politicians decided they didn't want Gorons in the village, which hurts business. And to make matters worse, just as I was beginning to fix my storage unit that blew up out of nowhere four years ago–" Link made an uncomfortable noise that made Zelda believe it was his doing "–I'm being told they are using the land to grow crops to support the increase in population!" He cleared his throat, "So I am just peachy."

She pressed her lips into a firm and confused line, "I hope to end the Goron issue soon. Pleased to meet thee." They quickly exited, the princess glad to be out of the humid shop and surprised to find the outside desert air was rather pleasant today despite it being summer. Link pointed up to the guards' tower and started up the path before bumping into a thoughtful Telma.

"Madam Telma, good afternoon." Princess Zelda greeted, relieved to see a familiar face.

Although, the usually hospitable woman did not seem so pleased, casting dirty looks to the Shaman who exited the Sanctuary with a huff. She crossed her arms under her bosom and shaked angrily before noticing the two youth before her. "Oh! Good afternoon, didn't see you there." She gave a hearty laugh.

"You seemed preoccupied." Link noted, giving an expression that he understood the strange tension between the bar mistress and medicine man.

Telma raised a sharp brow saucily. "You're one to judge, towel boy," her focus switched to the monarch that she joyfully informed, "Shad and Auru started scribe-duty today, Your Majesty. Ashei is helping distribute food rations and Rusl is helping to board up the gates with the few brave Hyrulean soldiers left. I know you have a lot on your plate already hun, but we should be sending people out there to scope out the enemy. It's been what, five days and we still don't know what we're up against?"

Princess Zelda's stress bundled up at the base of her neck again, tight and unforgiving as frustration strangled her. "I understand. We are trying our best."

"I know," Telma tightened the hoops in her hair, "I don't want to bother you any more about it, but it needed to be said. I'll see you both around." And with that she left, leaving Zelda with her shame. A fragment of herself was angered by the disrespect shown to her as a leader, but the rational part took the harsh honesty as constructive criticism.

Link wanted her to talk about it, but Zelda was tired of conversing. He guided her up to the tall and surprisingly vacant watchtower. It could have been a good spot for the guardsmen armory had it not been for its questionable interior of frail beams and moldy stairs. It was uninhabited but not empty; a piece of parchment on the wall dictating that there were strict shifts of duty that were mostly ran by the children of Ordon. Princess Zelda was alarmed if not impressed, how prepared was that village now?

Link brought her up up up the tower until they stood upon the rooftop where Talo was listlessly feeding cuccos seeds. When he noticed them a few more freckles sprouted on his cheeks as he smiled openly. "Oi! What are you doing up here?" He must have thought there was going to be a shift change by the way his mouth fell after Link's response.

"Showing the Princess the sights. Seen anything interesting?"

Zelda's distant blue eyes brushed across the red horizon of scorching rock burning in a lonely beauty. Had she glanced to the right she would have been met with the coolness of whatever was left of the castle, but her mind was too entranced by the mirage of a desert wonderland she had to call home. Far below were figures, ants almost scurrying about to please their Queen within the anthill. Was she the Queen who took, or was she the mountain that gave?

"It's boring, which is good, but I'd rather be with the others playing in the Spring." He griped, peering out through his telescope.

Zelda tried to see the children but her eyes were too weak. Link produced a strange owl-like mask and placed it on her eyes, to which she saw clearly the forms of Naru, Beth, and Colin playing in the water with large childish grins.

"Gods, what is this amazing contraption?" She gasped softly, impressed with how compact and clear the item was.

"It's called a Hawkeye. I got it here," He moved her face to look at the shop beside the Inn covered in posters of Malo's uncanny mug. The door opened and the man-child appeared to be shooing a shoplifter away, perturbed by Gods'-know-what. She removed it and handed it back to him, giving thanks. Link nodded to her a question, did she wish to go see Naru?

"If your tour is over, but there is still so much to see." She responded, watching him as he grabbed two cuccos and handed one to her.

"Let's go then," he smirked, holding the hen above his head courageously, stepping over to the edge of the rooftop.

"What– No, that is insane!" She gasped as he prepared to jump.

"Don't you trust me?" He pouted.

"Yes but not with something so idiotic!"

He stepped away from the edge and walked over to her with a defeated frown. She was pleased to have talked some sense into the man, and was so preoccupied with thinking relieving thoughts that she hadn't noticed the way he nudged and eventually threw her off the roof before jumping after.

She gave a shrill scream, slamming her eyes shut and awaiting the sweet relief of death by betrayal. Surprisingly the whoosh of air was deafened by the labored clucks of the poultry above her head, and the excited whoops of Link coaxed her into opening her eyes. She was – believe it or not – gliding with the hard flap of the bird's wings down the valley, passing by and glancing each building under construction.

"OH BLESSED GODS!" She cried, crossing her legs to hide her underskirt. She was high up; the tendrils of smoke coming from the hotsprings couldn't match her humidity of embarrassment as the villagers pointed up at her in awe. "LINK I SWEAR TO HYLIA–"

"Isn't it amazing!" He shouted back, exuberant in their descent.

She supposed it was amazing after her fear simmered away and left her with the spring's reflections on cave walls and comfortingly warm colors. Her people gave a few chuckles and smiles at the oddity, some glared at her like she was the enemy, but eventually returned to try and restore whatever kind of life they once had. She was inspired by their willfulness to adapt, and tried to find the apparent silver lining to these series of events. She was alive, the sky was just as blue as yesterday, and in a dark turn of events she was free to do as she pleased. Looking up, she saw the clouds and felt herself begin to lighten. The man clad in green was right, this was amazing.

Link and herself eventually landed just at the Spring shore with a harsh thud of their shoes on dirt, cuccos eagerly jumping out of their grasps.

"Never. Do that. Again!" She scolded, secretly hoping he would. His smile said he caught her true wish and she blessed him for that.

"I wanna try!" Beth jumped up and down, Colin tried to calm her.

"You must receive permission from your parents first!" Zelda scolded, not wanting to be responsible for any accident.

Colin and Beth ran off, possibly to try and convince their parents running off a cliff was a smart idea, leaving Naru to scratch her arm worriedly. She walked over to Zelda and pulled at her skirts, placing a hand beside her mouth to whisper cautiously. "Princess, do you hear voices in your sleep?" Her eyes were dark from lack of rest.

Zelda's heart bled for her, and in hopes of offering solace, assured, "Yes. And I have for many years now. The Gods speak to us in many ways. It is nothing to be fearful of, and if it was, they would lend me the strength to protect you, little one."

"Your Big Brother and the Princess are living proof of that statement," Renado came in seemingly out of thin air, "Triforce bearers are thought to bring Hyrule up from any state of ruin no matter what. The infamous Ganondorf was once destined for great things had the spirit Demise not corrupted Din's good intentions."

Princess Zelda was taken aback by the statement. "Oh really Chief Shaman, the Demon King was once a beacon of good? You must pardon my doubt."

He shrugged, "My people taught that all creatures were once pure until the manifestation of darkness seduced them."

The cry of a loud horn awoke alarm among the masses: people began to panic and run about like cuccos missing their heads. "There's a horde headed to the North Gate!" Talo shouted out to the masses down below, causing a higher level of hysteria.

"Big Brother!" Naru latched onto his leg in fear.

"Everyone, inside now!" Renado ordered, taking the children into the Sanctuary with him and the others, Naru struggling the whole way. Why can there never be moments of peace in their lives?

Link and Zelda ran toward the gate, Ashei and Rusl appeared at their side shortly after. The Princess looked them over and said, "This is it?"

Sutter and a platoon of three guardsmen appeared with four villagers trailing behind. In their hands were farming tools from hoes to sickles, hard lines of determination on their faces ranging from late boyhood to elderly. "We want to fight Your Highness," A black haired seventeen-year-old announced, knuckles white from his grip.

"We're the only ones with weapons…" Link whispered to her.

"That is my father's fault." She whispered back, turning to order Sutter, "They are under your command. I promote you to temporary captain, if the battle is too vigorous get them out of here." Her ex-escort nodded courageously although eyes glinted with fear. "Let us go!"

…

They closed the gate, and as a whole, the unit treaded cautiously out toward the fields. There was a crushing silence mixed with the electric hum of an oncoming storm and the sky – as if out of nowhere – became clouded and gray.

"Keep your guard up!" Rusl commanded, awakening a too-relaxed boy who stood close too the Princess. Zelda summoned her estoc, the bittersweet bond having formed between her and her blade muffled by the thump of her loud heart. Link held a hand out to them to signal a stop in movement while he patrolled out in front, shield in hand.

"We're clea–" Out jumped five Bulblins from behind the rocks, swinging their clubs with sharp cries. Link jumped out of the way, falling into a roll that lined his blade up straight for the creature's blind spot.

Ashei and Rusl immediately jumped into the fight, the guard and volunteers far more resistant. Princess Zelda took her blade, and in the face of an oncoming weapon, slashed into a parry just to turn into a pirouette ending with steel through its hunched spine.

"Sutter!" She growled, not wanting her men to fall weak so early in the game. They gave a war cry and tackled into the fight, but during the heat of this battle, there was a slight shift the weight of a butterfly's wing. Princess Zelda sensed it, her world slowing as she hurriedly searched for the cause of this change in air. Link, Ashei, Rusl, they were accounted for – but wait, on the horizon! Strange puddles of black began to slither like snakes from the grass until behind a frightened boy. She opened her mouth to shout out to him but her lips moved like molasses, for the shadow of the teen rose from its slumber into black flesh and pierced through his pumping heart.

"NO!" The sound finally left her burning lungs as the shadow returned to the earth, and many more began to slaughter the farmers before her scream would decrescendo. The world sped up around her, and she ran to try to catch his body as it dropped like flies, pulling the boy hard against her as her knees gave out. Link tried to slash at these shadows that took on many forms to no avail, Ashei and Rusl doing the same. Princess Zelda held the lifeless figure of the seventeen-year-old and tried to heal his fatal wounds, eyes blurry as she trembled.

"Not again, not again!" This was a young boy, not yet a man who'd wanted more than to protect a family he could never go home to, all because of her. She let him come, she let him be slaughtered. From the corner of her eyes she saw another shadow, one that took the form of Link, but when she turned, she discovered it truly was the knight, and lowered the arrow she hadn't realised was drawn.

He was slashing futilely at the umbrae, and with hatred in her heart, she shot through the creature with a dim light that could barely illuminate a closet. Her magic was far too weak now, too weak to save anyone, too weak to keep her casualties alive. The shadows were at least frightened enough to leave, and as they did, Rusl ran to take the boy out of her arms.

"Your Majesty–"

"Leave me!" She cried, still trying to heal his gaping wound, his blood painting her hands and body.

"He's dead, Your Majesty." Rusl tried to put a hand on her arm but she pulled away. She had to bring him back, she had to save him.

Link dropped to his knees behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pushing her hands down and shaking his head. "No Link, please, let me save him!" She said through hysterical intakes of breath, but he kept her immobilized to let Rusl take the child's body.

"What were those things! Those demons!" She screamed, cold tears turning hot with a vow of vengeance, eyes frosted over with the memory of her soldiers' slaughter.

"I don't know." Link said softly, still holding her as she thrashed around in an uncontainable rage. The others watched her curiously, never had they seen her so expressive; never had they seen the ghosts possess their unfeeling Princess.

She was able to break free from his grasp, and at the sight of a somber Sutter, she ran up and grabbed him by the collar of his chainmail. "You!" She shouted at him, "I told you to send them away if the battle escalated!"

No, that didn't happen. The closest she could get to the man was a few strides away. Shifting the blame would not make her any less guilty. She collapsed in on herself, falling to her knees and shaking her head trying to smear away the words she imagined saying. "This is my fault! I let them come, I killed them!"

There was shuffle amongst the corpses, and they jumped to attention, Sutter and his remaining guardsmen walking to the only Bulbin body not to perish into ash, spears raised. With sickening cracks, the monster rose with jelly-filled limbs, head hanging to the side and body like a puppet. It opened its mouth and a voice like booming thunder gave a malicious laugh.

" **Princess Zelda…** " the familiar sound sent shivers down her spine, " **The land made by Gods forsaken by its very creators, how ironic...I shall not make the same mistake twice, this world will be mine…** " The Bulblin then released more chuckles before crumbling into a heap of ebony ash that left with the wind.

…

"It did what?!" Earl Kemp gave a growl of disbelief.

Ashei leaned in closer, possibly thinking the elderly gentlemen was hard of hearing. "The Bulbin got up, and started speaking."

Viscount Osmar rolled his wrist nervously. "I thought only one of the Blin clan knew how to speak Hylian. Sir Link, you've faced him many times, have you not?"

Link nodded his head and made a face of discomfort. "What Ashei is trying to say: Someone was using magic to speak _through_ it."

The council Nohansen stopped to look down the table at Princess Zelda who had been sitting motionlessly the whole time, simply watching but not really seeing them. They wanted her opinion, but she couldn't give it, and she saw the doubt in their eyes. They are cautious to trust her rule now, and she couldn't blame them. She was handicapped, easily falling into the looking glass to be trapped in time. Would they rather her panic and shout? Maybe, but a tranquil vegetative state allowed her time to think. She could have been like her father, drunk and forgetful. Her father...What she would give for a bottle of spirits right now.

"Who spoke through it?" Mayor Bo questioned, the torchlight casting his face in aggravated shadow.

 _He did,_ she mentally answered him, _I failed to kill him a second time and now he is back._

Link's breath hissed through clenched teeth at his disbelief. "I knew the voice," his face reminded her of a child swallowing medicine, "It was Him. And now he's learned some new kind of magic. It looks like he can summon these shadows that take on any form they want."

 _Our weapons can not cut them_ , she responded again, head heavy.

"Shadows? Like those beasts?" Renado look puzzled. The air grew thicker by the minute.

Rusl shook his blond locks. "No. Legitimate shadows. They're the ones that took out those innocent farmers. Unarmed patriots."

Alger rolled his eyes. "Those men knew what they were getting into. I won't mourn a twenty year-old who knew he could have died."

Princess Zelda's arctic eyes rose. "Seventeen." She said, earning the stares of the whole room.

"Pardon?" Counselor Fane asked.

"He was seventeen, not twenty, and still a child who wanted nothing more than to defend his homeland; and he could have survived if YOUR KING HAD NOT PASSED A LAW WHICH MADE HIM POWERLESS!" Her shout echoed and ebbed away, leaving only the dark of her eyes to indicate she had just broke face. There was tension, people glanced amongst each other and eventually back to Alger who shuffled uncomfortable with a look of indifference.

Everyone turned to Zelda eagerly, maybe expecting her to jump up and function like a machine, but she stayed in her seat, moving only her dusty-rose lips. "Sir Shad, mark from this point on, the Resistance is given the right to train all men, women, and children able to carry a sword how to defend themselves accordingly no matter their rank."

"Yes, Your Highness," Shad bowed his head and began to scribble.

"You can't do that–" Alger began to argue before she interrupted.

"Try and stop me." Her voice hit a dangerous low that made the desert icy. "The law was implemented because Hyrule was in peacetime – last I checked, a battle for life or death did not mean peace," She sighed, "Did you honestly think I would not read into it?"

He huffed, and Rusl bowed to Princess Zelda in respect. "Thank you, Your Highness. Don't worry, your people will be safe."

"I trust you and your abilities, Sir Rusl." Her eyes began to gloss over again as she began her descent back into her stupor and Link continued the discussion.

"Our weapons can stop the Blin and other monsters, but those shadows are my biggest concern."

 _One by one her flowers were cut unapologetically from her garden until there was nothing but leaves shattered at her feet. The rose tried to plant them back solidly into the ground, but it was no use; the essence left their bodies in a river of red, washing away her happiness._

As she regained her eyes, the foul stench of death permeated through her nose, and looking down, she saw her hands soiled with thick layers of blood. In a swivet she began to roughly try and wipe the liquid off her skin until it became raw, but it did not disappear. A short shout of fright escaped her when she tried to wipe it off her skirt with no avail, the cursed liquid stuck like glue to her skin. She couldn't let the others see, if they saw the blood, she would be put back in the dark cell. She hated the darkness!

Impaz went to put a hand on Zelda's shoulder, but Link beat her to it, looking down at the woman was a friendly smile lighting her way out of her dark tunnel. She felt warm again, warm and relaxed enough to acknowledge the pristine cleanliness of her hands, and tiredly added to the topic. "We need the Master Sword."

"Which I put back four years ago," Link sighed, he'd tried going back for it before but the trail was puzzling.

"That's because you didn't need it then. The Sacred Realm gives what is necessary, when it's necessary." Impaz stated matter-of-factly, closing her ruby eyes.

"It is settled then, we shall head to the woods. Renado, you shall be in charge whilst I am away." Zelda decreed.

Link held his hands up in concern. They still had no idea how to get there.

Princess Zelda bit her lip in thought. "Grandmother used to have a map in the Archive."

The group groaned in incredulity, throwing their hands up and appearing hopeless. Frustrated, Link grimaced in futility.

The door was pushed open, and an exuberant Naru came running in with dirty feet and long hair disheveled. "Take a small party to the castle to scope the area _and_ find the map!" The adults opened their mouths to speak but she was too fast and continued, "Big Brother, you've snuck in before. There you go, get in without being seen!"

The council – to their own surprise – thought the idea to be a good one, and in hushed whispers, agreed to allow the mission. Link looked convinced, and Princess Zelda felt relieved in their support. Naru gave her an obscured wink.

Link was the first to volunteer, eyes brimming with duty.

Zelda frowned in disapproval. "I understand the castle's layout better than anyone in this room–"

Fear painted his skin. He wanted her to stay and keep morale up.

She was too tired to argue and stayed silent. Naru shouted in her place, "I'm coming too!"

The Ordonian jumped and waved a finger in her face. "No, you're not. You have to be this tall to join a suicide mission." He held his hand up to his shoulder with a smug look. Naru stuck her tongue out at him, and wiggled her fingers in what Zelda noticed to be her "smiting" movement. "Although," he bent his knees so to be below Zelda's gaze on her stool, "Could you maybe...teach her more? Maybe defensive magic? I think the Goddess of Wisdom should at least know a little about the art she created." He released an easy laugh that invited her smile.

They would leave at midnight.

…

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere. In this unknown, the feeling of heaviness is imminent, choking and paralyzing. A pair of large eyes made of flames stares down at her, unblinking and unforgiving, just watching as she stands still in the nothingness. Its terrifying blaze begins to bleed from the floor and lick at her heels. The fire grows larger and larger until it's a field of inferno, and standing in its destruction is a decomposing creature rising from the sea – voice not his own and veins of darkness on its body. The possessed monster looks at her, grinning; in its chest lay evil's bane impaled within him, and from the wound oozes a shadow, her reflection. He laughs madly, but above him glows a bright and holy light. Both him and his shadow continue to stare at her as she covers her eyes. Three orbs fall from up above and separate, one hitting her as it rushed by – blue fills her vision, and three statuettes erect themselves from shadow. Two are grimy and worn, the third is pristine. Looking down there is a body in her arms, a limp child bathed in blood begging for her aid. Help me...You did this… There's a twinge of pain, and looking up, blood covers her abdomen whilst a man stands in front of her, crying out her name. She loves him, but her blood drips from his blade. And as the droplets hit the floor, they form the Triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light._

* * *

 **The plot thickens :D**

 **Special thanks to:**  
 **romagen, Grell Phantomhive, Ripple, Generala, and TheStrangeItalian**

 **So what do ya'll think about this chapter? I had a bit of trouble with it, but after collaborating with my lovely editor I really think we were able to grab the essence of these scenes. How is Zelda growing, if it all? Does she juxtapose the other characters around her? Just food for thought; I feel like an English teacher cx**

 **My editor: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Please R &R, and on a random note, the one year anniversary of this story is coming up, should I do something special for it? **

**Thanks for reading, see you all next month! 3**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hello Lovelies, you're probably thinking to yourself, "Where have you been Zel!?" To which I must apologize :( Last month was really quiet, and I wasn't sure if anyone was still interested, plus I have a ridiculous amount of projects and tests coming up, so I spent most of my time working on those. College life am I right? Nonetheless here is the must anticipated October update my dearies. Without further ado!**

* * *

"Ooooommm...Oooommm…"

"What are you doing?" Zelda opened one eye to glare at the girl humming noisily beside her.

Naru raised the eyelid of a large azure pool, "Meditating...Don't you make that noise when you meditate?"

"No," Zelda put her hand out to relax the bouncing knee of her pupil, "You listen. Pretend it is a rainy day. You can neither work nor play, but you may listen to the rain."

They shut their eyes again and exhaled in unison. Princess Zelda focused on the rush of spring water and the fresh vapor that rode the breeze and cooled her hot flesh. There was splashing beside them from the Lanayru virgins collecting the water and singing hymns. Zelda caught the crackling of firewood and growl of an Eldin Head Priestess warning for their blessed flame to stay dry as they took the sloshing jugs of water for the crops they were planning to plant. The gentle giggles of the Faron Virgins added to the noise; so much was happening near their spot beside the spring. Her breathing stopped when she thought she heard a wounded cry. _It is all in my head._

"Hylian women – correction, _all_ women, have a purpose in this world." Zelda opened her eyes in a state of inner tranquility, watching the light dance along the water's surface. "Our Realm is that of mothers, and because of this, we are attuned to the will of the spirit world."

Naru listened to her closely, often repeating single phrases here and there.

The monarch made a brief snap of importance. "But do not let that get to your head. Many strong Priestesses have fallen from grace because they saw themselves too far above men, which simply is not true. We may be the bridge between man and Gods, but the men of Hyrule are the protectors of the mothers and children against mortal woes. A complete balance, never forget that."

"Big Brother," Naru began, "He's a protector right?"

"Correct. A rancher is just as powerful as a King in the Goddesses design." Zelda inhaled and then exhaled, taking her hand and pressing it against the hard earth. "In order to grasp the power that flows through all life, you must first respect its balances, for everything is precious. The soil, the air, all matter is humming with magic." Naru copied the princess, touching the ground and making circles with her fingers. "Hylia blessed mortals with the ability to harness this awesome power to defend and protect life, the Golden Goddesses gave us the Triforce and choose to give us the blessing of wisdom."

Naru lowered her eyes. "I don't feel wise...maybe Regis was right, I am just a kid!"

Zelda shook her head. "Age does not dictate wisdom, little one. I have completed over two decades but my judgement is very seldom good," there was a pause, "As long as your heart yearns for truth and justice, then you are following the lawful path of Nayru."

The small child then, nodding off into dreamland, rested her head on the arm of Princess Zelda with a content mew. Footsteps sounded behind her, ears practically pricking up at the noise, and looking at the homely man behind her, she placed a finger over her lips. He handed her a brown sack with an old smile and walked away.

"What's that?" Naru pointed to the bag.

Zelda handed the heavy item to the child, and watched in anticipation as her small, excited fingers pulled at the jute string. The rough burlap blossomed, and within was a child's hand-painted lyre adorned in a basic composition and strings made of strong Ordon gut. Naru's face lit up with uncontainable joy and affection toward the little instrument. A low screech exited her throat as she hugged and kissed the object, pouncing on Zelda with a hug.

"Thank you Princess!" She laughed, "How did you–"

"The Gods love music," Zelda avoided the upcoming topic of cost, hiding the lack of earrings used in the place of rupees.

Naru hummed with excitement, jittering and embracing the instrument. Holding it out to Zelda she pleaded, "Please teach me a song Princess!"

The woman shook her head. "We must begin your first lesson of magic. Then your reward would be a lesson," – The virgins ended their prayers and began for the Sanctuary – "I want you to close your eyes."

The child hammered them shut.

"Now breathe, listen for the spirits."

Naru's face hardened in determination.

"Hold your hands in front of you, hard against the ground."

She slammed her palms onto the hot earth.

"Now think, think of who you'd want to protect."

"Big Brother, Colin, you–"

"No need to say it aloud, think it." Zelda pushed a strand of hair off Naru's face and placed it behind her pointed ear. "Imagine defending them. Now open your eyes."

Naru's breath was tired as expected, but the sight of a tiny sapphire-blue barrier shaped like a sturdy jewel over her hands made her smile. "W-What is it!" She showed an expected feeling of terror.

"Your first spell, Nayru's Love. The more you practice, the larger it will become," Zelda watched as it disappeared, "And the longer it will last." A wave of nausea washed over them both.

"I'm hungry." Naru whined.

"You should eat, regain strength. Afterwards, I will teach you a lullaby my grandmother would sing to me."

The child smiled, "I'd like that."

…

"No," Link crossed his arms, "No way."

Zelda took her freshly sharpened estoc from Ashei's hands and casted Link a curious stare. "Is something bothering you?"

The midnight moon hung above them in their lukewarm valley, and Telma was quick to shush them both. Rusl and Auru loaded up the woman's carriage, still careful to listen in on the brewing tussle.

"Yes!" He walked over to try and stand over her, giving a disapproving scowl and groaning. He did not want her to go with them, he made it evident, standing by his opinion that she should stay and keep morale high. Another harsh shush from their audience.

She stepped closer to his face stubbornly, "I refuse to be the monarch hiding in her little tower again. I am coming whether you like it or not."

"Well I _don't_ like it!" He huffed.

"Duly noted," she continued, crossing her arms, "You should be thanking me. If I had not tired Naru out, she would be sneaking on that carriage." Zelda narrowed her icy pools.

"You should be with her!" Link's brows furrowed sadly, "It's too dangerous for you to go."

Ilia jumped in and pushed the two apart, rolling her eyes. "Break it up you two, you're making me sick." Princess Zelda thought it odd that arguments made that woman sickly, and Link blushed as if he felt unwell also. Ilia smacked his arm, "Watch out who you're talking to, mister."

"I am still your princess!" Zelda immediately regretted the threat in her voice.

"If y'all don't quiet down you'll find out who the real Queen is!" Telma shoved through with hard energy. She crossed her arms over her puffed out chest and carried over her shoulder an attitude. "I think I like you better when you don't talk," She growled at Link, "And you – Princess Zelda you want to help, be my guest, but this is my Resistance and my rules. When you are in my party I could give less damns about your status, you are nothing but this group, am I understood?!"

Link and Zelda cowered away in humiliation, turning their backs away from each other. They mumbled apologies, Telma relaxing and moving to whisper into Link's ear. She tried to listen in but the sound of a baby's cry from the village drowned out the occasional drip of a word. When the large woman was done, she walked to Princess Zelda and pointed to Ashei. "You'll ride with her in the back of the carriage."

Zelda nodded, feeling rather unhappy in the simplest means. Elric wrapped his arms around Ilia and reminded, "We'll be watching for you in the tower."

"We will?" Ilia was surprised.

Elric looked at her funny. "It was your idea, remember?"

She blushed, "Oh yeah, forgot."

"Let's move people, we are wasting moonlight." Telma commanded, rolling her wrists in the air and boarding the driver's bench. Auru and Rusl were the first to enter, next Shad was lifted into the caravan by Ashei who made sure he had enough pen and paper to recount the event before sitting with her feet dangling off the car. Just as the princess moved to join the warrior, Link blocked her way.

They faced one another, his blue pools shifted to the right to avoid a straight stare, uncomfortable with what he wanted to say. After being so vocal, he seemed to have run out of his voice for the day, and this frustrated him. He wanted her to know what he wished to communicate, but in self-resentment, he instead left.

It was only after they headed for the castle underneath a full moon did she decode that unspeakable message. Princess Zelda leaned against the wooden beam of the caravan with her legs folded neatly under her, and skirt hanging alongside metal-clad boots. She extended a hand out to grasp the moonlight in the palm of her hand and recalled the same motion from a slender arm not her own. On good days, days where the void of darkness hushed around her homeless soul, she was given glimpses through the eyes of the woman she died to save. These days were blessed, they warmed the cold with promise. Had Midna known of this? Possibly, for the moment she exchanged lives, they shared a glimpse into one another's memories and their fates intertwined. Had Link known? Never.

Never did he know that those intimate nights shared by two was sometimes shared by three, and one of those nights seen through fuzzy, dream-colored glasses, she had seen an expression similar to the one tonight. Like ears submerged in water she heard very little of what he told Midna, but gathered he was concerned for her wellbeing, for her life, his gaze was an apology for seeming so cruel when all he cared was for her safety. She didn't want him to save her, and that had led to an argument that led this confession of fear.

Zelda brought her hand back to warm the cold flesh of her neck. There was one striking difference with his expression for her. With Midna he looked deep into her red pools as if she was the only woman he had ever seen, but with the princess…

 _He did not even look at me,_ she closed her eyes and felt the bumps of the road.

"We should get to the castle by dawn," Ashei said from her still spot beside the angsty monarch. Zelda made no attempt to respond, only soak in emotions she was unwillingly feeling.

The trip wasn't that long, and Telma thought it would be safer to park the carriage before the bridge that would have led them to the East Gate of Castle Town. Telma, Shad, and Auru were going to stay behind while the others investigated, which seemed the best idea. Link dismounted Epona and went to Rusl, trying to avoid Zelda at all cost, or so it seemed.

"Let's go." Rusl commanded, leading the remaining party through the short tunnel until reaching the other side. Zelda's breath snagged on the shock growing within her at the claw marks and red liquid smeared on the slightly ajar gate. The air was deathly brisk, the rising sun visibly struggling to climb up from behind thick storm clouds that accompanied them. Link unsheathed his sword and threw her a stare as she began to spastically clench and unclench her fists, rubbing them against her skirts until the skin beneath grew pink.

"Keep moving," Ashei pushed, lowering her voice and pulling the woman by a mental string. They moved cautiously, eyes on the ripped flags atop the stone borders and over to the moat filled with gross water. When they got to the large, splintered gate, the four tried to push it open with little ease. A woman's scream from inside shoved her unease to make room for concern, and with pure adrenaline they were able to push the mammoth open. The party rushed in to try and find the source of the cry, only to be greeted by a street blocked with festering corpses.

"Sweet Goddess!" Zelda gasped, covering her mouth from the foul stench. Within the faces were children and elders alike, all frozen in an eternal look of horror. Flies populated the streets along with broken plys of wood and glass humming with the memory of a failed evacuation attempt. The large crowd had inadvertently led to their demise with hysteria: shop roofs were blanketed in the arrow-filled bodies of young people thinking they could have fled from the rooftops, and a broken cart showed to be what made the gate hard to open in the first place.

"Who could do something like this?!" Rusl made a motion of prayer before grabbing a cloth from a rundown cart and trying to cover the bodies covered in slashes. Zelda wanted to help, but Link's touch against her wrist stopped her as a rustle came from a nearby alleyway.

"Hush," Ashei motioned for them to get down, "Follow."

Reluctantly, they moved through the empty streets of Castle Town, where the stench of death rained down from dark storm clouds and the population was in ruins. There was no sign of life as their light footsteps boomed like giants. A gentle breeze danced through ripped awnings that swayed like ghosts. They moved through the market district, to which Zelda looked back to the castle gate. The town plaza was the catalyst of damage; the once memorable fountain now stale water intermingled with broken stone.

 _This was...my home_ , her mind began to comprehend it all. She stopped to graze her fingers against the painted sign of a shop, hovering over the painted handprint of a child on their parents' business. The yellow color was peeling, and splinters caught in her white fabric. It made her depressed to say the least, but Rus l– who was the slowest in the group – tapped her on the shoulder to try and push her forward.

Eventually they reached Telma's bar, where they released a minor breath of ease. Everything was trashed and looted, chairs thrown and bottles discarded across the room. Lantern oil – or what she hoped was lantern oil – was spilled in various places she avoided.

Link made a grunt of wonderment of their next move.

"How'd you get in last time?" Rusl leaned against the bar.

"A really small back trail," He shook his head, there was no way they could get in now.

Ashei rummaged behind the bar and produced a bottle, taking it to a nearby seat and popping the cork off with her blade. Zelda raised a brow as the woman began to chug the liquor relentlessly, casting it aside once empty and beginning a new bottle. Everyone has their priorities, she supposed.

"I think we still have a map of the sewer trails here. I'll go look for them; you two," Rusl casted a stare at the surprisingly relaxed Ashei, "babysit her."

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on them,"Ashei modified.

The princess went and pulled herself a chair by the bar, sitting patiently and commanding the lanterns from within to light accordingly. She felt a bit light headed afterwards, but nothing she couldn't deal with. Her eyes focused on the dark contents of a glass bottle, seeing the liquid as a grotesque shade of the water filled with the bodies of those trying to flee. She grabbed it from the table harshly, bringing it close to her face in hopes of seeing her reflection drown within its contents.

She believed wholeheartedly that she had unintentionally allowed her people to die. Would the onslaught have been any kinder if she was around as a bargaining chip? That was a ridiculous thought, she knew it, but this guilt filled her as dark and malodorous as liquor did this bottle. She could still see that boy's face, that seventeen-year-old was scattered amongst those bodies; her people never stood a chance. His ghost haunted her; her dreams, her thoughts. She could see him now within this bottle, and maybe, just maybe, if she swallowed it all in a harsh gulp she could erase him from her memory. She moved to place the bottle against her lips and–

"Princess." Link walked up to her with downcast eyes, unsure with what he wanted to say.

Zelda set the bottle to the side, and nodded to him. "Yes?"

He bit his lips nervously. "I'm sorry." The princess watched hopefully for a particular movement, but found none.

Instead she too turned away in embarrassment, understanding the heaviness in his chest. "I too wish to apologise. You are so much more than another commoner to me, I should have never spoken to you as if you were beneath me."

His eyes glowed at her. They explained how he saw her more than just another companion, but when he peered away, it held only the shine of a friend.

Friend. She never held the word with so much disdain.

He cared about her safety and wellbeing, and for some reason did not trust in his own ability to keep those he held dear out of harm's way. "I appreciate you wanting to take care of me," The Princess parted her dusty rose lips with a sigh, "But I am exhausted from playing damsel-in-distress. I wish to do something, I wish to die for my people."

He gasped and held his hands in front of him in disbelief. "That doesn't have to be your only option!" Link did not like her idea of valor, and she understood that a man as well-liked as he had a plethora of friends he could rely on, but not she. Her journey was always meant to be a lonely road of martyrdom, it was the Zelda way.

A deep rumble of the earth caused alarm, Ashei jumped from her position and drew her sword as glass crashed from the walls. When it stopped, Rusl called out from the bedrooms, "Is everyone okay?"

"We are fine." The Princess responded, finding Link's arm wrapped tightly around her before he drew away, sheathing his blade. "Did you find a map?"

Rusl shook his head, unhappy with their unsuccessfulness. "Nothing."

The Princess stayed as calm and composed as ever. "I have an idea."

"Go ahead." Ashei stared out the peephole periodically.

"They probably know I am here already, I could feign surrender in which they would hold me in the castle. From there I can get the information we need and use Farore's wind to escape."

Link threw his arm across his body and fumed, "No way! We just talked about this!"

"How many times can you use that spell?" Rusl questioned.

"You're not honestly considering-!" The hero scolded his mentor.

"What choice do we have? It's the only plan at the moment."

Zelda closed her eyes. "I am still weak alongside Naru. I could muster only one for today."

Link begged with her, he believed they would kill her the moment she gave up.

"They need me. If it is the Demon King, I am necessary for control; if it is another nation, then I am necessary for false security." She stayed level, understanding the cracks in his resolve and the way his muscles trembled beneath his flesh. Maybe he saw her as – what was the title – a best friend?

"We could devise another plan, abandon this one and try another day!" Link bargained.

Ashei snapped, "Will you two shut up! I hear movement out there!"

"We need a map to the Master Sword," Zelda reminded him, "Without it we may fail."

He clenched his whole body, face red in discomfort when he shouted, "You can't do this! I won't let you _Midna._ "

Immediately he was rendered speechless as he just listened in horror at the name which left his lips, eyes wide as he saw the pain paint the Princess's face. She saw it reflect in his sky blue orbs, the regret and projections he put on her. She was hurt, her heart trembled slightly, but she then began to soften. Midna was _their_ best friend, and she noticed in that moment the blame he placed upon himself. The room silenced, and she lowered her eyes lamentably and repeated a movement once done by hands that weren't her own in an intimate moment she should have never seen amongst the red sand.

"Princess Zelda I–" She took her hand and placed it flush against his right cheek, cupping her cold fingertips on the warm flesh and giving him a smile. He recognized the gesture, and ingrained in his memory was the sound of _her_ voice asking him to join her, but this was not what the princess would do. Instead she sadly said with as much understanding she could verbally muster, "I am not Midna."

He was ready to respond had it not been for another bloodcurdling scream. The group sprung into action, wielding their blades ready for a fight.

"Where's that voice coming from?!" Rusl was panicked, the female scream definitely disturbed him.

"We have bigger problems right now – four Bokoblins are outside!" Ashei took her scimitar and lunged out the door. Zelda was last to exit, and with the door to her back, she questioned the legitness of her companion's claim, for outside there was nothing but an early-morning fog. "They were here...I saw them…" A rustle from the shadows changed their train of thought.

Another cry, louder this time; it was young and sounded like the daughter of the strong Rusl. The monarch tried to stop the veteran from bolting up those stairs to the market street, but he was much stronger than she, more frantic.

Link went to chase after him, and Zelda after Link, Ashei cursing at them all as she finished the last enemy. To the princess's surprise there was a figure near the gate of the castle on her knees, crying into her hands with rubble as her guardian. Their boots splashed on the water of a broken fountain, the town square a hollow shell of what it used to be.

Rusl extended his hand out to the child.

"There there, no need to cry, you're safe now," He smiled, leaning down until Ashei placed the curved steel of her blade in front of his face. He growled, "What are you doing."

The child continued to cry.

"It could be a trap." She narrowed her pale eyes.

There was a hiccup of tears.

" Don't be ridiculous, she's a little girl!"

Zelda chimed in, "Lady Ashei has a point, Sir Rusl."

Her wails grew louder.

"Let me handle it." Ashei continued to push, Zelda watching anxiously.

The tears were frantic like uncontrollable laughter.

" Fine." He stepped away, and the child began to stand, cries of laughter now drowning her tears.

"Look out!" Zelda shouted as the child erupted in fits of hysteria, and morphed like clay into the reflection of a startled Ashei.

The warrior and her doppelganger stared at one another, grey to grey, swords both drawn. The imposter pulled an item from its pocket and threw a bomb of smoke against the ground.

Instantly their vision was compromised, the princess heard Link call out to her. As the stared smoke settled, she checked herself for any sign of injury. Nothing. Rusl and Link? Safe. But looking to the two Ashei's she saw, they stood side by side, and frightfully Zelda realized she could not tell the difference.

Link made a noise of concern, and Rusl cursed at the creature, which ever one of them could it be.

"I'm the real Ashei!" One cried out, beckoning for their belief.

"What?!" The the other responded, raising her brow.

Zelda continued to glance between them, uncomfortable with making a decision. There was still enough smoke in the air to compromise her interpretation of who was who. She looked for small changes between the figures, but small details were obscured from her vision. Her falter caused the first one to say, "You have to believe me, that _thing_ is the fake, I–" the Ashei scuffed to a halt, a blade protruding from her chest.

"Ashei!" they all cried.

The punctured woman began to limpen, black liquid pouring from the wound with sickening plops. The attacker stayed unmoving, "The real Ashei doesn't hesitate."

The doppelganger turned to look at the real woman and released an animalistic growl, pulling itself off the sword and sealing the wound. Zelda now noticed splotches of grey skin and the way the white of its eyes eclipsed in an empty black. It quickly melted into thick onyx molasses and seeped into the stone. Ashei ran over to her party, Rusl extended his hand out to her and Link crowded close to Zelda. Another rumble, and shifty shadows entered the empty shops only to have five Bulblins exit and surround the group. They don't move from the doors, only make strange noises and swing their clubs.

The four warriors stood with their backs to one another, and Link brought his right forearm down and close to Zelda. She put her left forearm against his, they touched in a movement similar to the night they danced together, and her right arm crossed her estoc against her chest. They stood in anticipation, but the creatures did not move.

"I do not understand, why are they not attacking?" Princess Zelda grew puzzled with each drawn out second.

The castle gate started to open with a loud creak, and the princess whipped her head to see what bastard lay inside. Out came an aging man dressed in black robes and steel, hair red as flames in the darkness of winter, and skin as grey as ash. He limped forward, obviously wounded and skin aged, almost as if it was melting off the bone. Zelda looked at him quizzically.

Link made a harsh noise, unbelieving in the man who stood before him, and wouldn't take his eyes off the tall Gerudo King. No matter the power that oozed off his person like mist from a mountain, the air of fragility was unavoidably in the way he stumbled like an old man. Just as Telma described; he was aging, golden eyes working hard to stay lit with life.

"Princess Zelda," He gave a chuckle, "I knew you weren't dumb enough to stay away."

She gripped her blade tightly, "How is this possible, there was nothing left?!"

The Gerudo King summoned forth his blade which he proceeded to use as a cane to lean against as he patronized her. "Look at the inept Princess once again showing her true lack of abilities," He turned to Link who glared in rage, "And her pet."

"The Twili would never help you again, what magic is this?" A Bulblin laughed behind her.

The aging Ganondorf grinned, "The Twili were incompetent, but I am sure you know all about being incapable, don't you, Princess Zelda." His voice rose to a boom of thunder, "No matter, I have learned from my past mistakes, and this time you stand no chance."

Link stepped forward and guarded the Princess, the Bulblin creeping in on them. Ganondorf extended a gloved hand out to them, and from the back came a glow of light as he laughed sickly. The shadows beneath them slithered across the ground and atop the incline just five steps away from Link. It lifted into a malleable form, and became two legs, two arms, and a head made of gaseous darkness. As it solidified Princess Zelda released a scream, and Link nearly collapsed.

Standing before them was a dark interloper, a reflection of Link similar in all ways physical. The white of its skin continuously shifted to different shades of grey and black, like ink after being poured into water. The iris of its eyes held no opening to the blue sky, but was a chalice filled with the blood of its enemies, and hair dark as night. The creature gave a smirk, it's expression eery and unsettling. It drank up the sound of her scream in bliss, she saw it in his cold eyes.

Ganondorf appeared pleased with himself, and happily announced, "My newest lieutenant, of sorts."

"What is this smoke and mirror trick?!" Zelda spit.

"I assure you, this is no trick," He stepped back, "Kill them."

The demon's eyes widened in animalistic joy and slashed its blade toward Link's torso. The Hero clad in green shoved Zelda away, his shield taking a majority of the damage as he too was pushed back. The Bulblins pounced as well; Ashei and Rusl fighting against the horde. Zelda regained herself and entered the fight, but was unable to pull her eyes away from the tussle between the same man.

Link struggled to dodge each incoming blow, one eventually entered and left behind a cut on his right shoulder. _Playing on the defense was getting him nowhere,_ Zelda thought to herself in fear. The creature continued his onslaughter with an expression all too familiar. The look of relishing madness just before striking the final blow that often lasted for just a brief second was its trademark expression; the nirvana of control. Link started to fight back, slicing the air hopelessly as the shadow jumped out of the way. Another bleeding cut appeared against the tan of his pants, and he cried out in pain. He was driven to slice faster, sidestepping when possible to avoid the sharp blade, but the demon appeared to anticipate each movement, and at some moments even mimicked the Hero's.

Princess Zelda was concerned by the blood which dripped from his body, but she needed to focus on the Bulblin shooting at her with passionate arrows. She cast a barrier above herself, thinking for a moment of sending it to Link instead, but it faded away as quickly as it came. Instead, she grabbed the lifeless body of a Bulblin and used it as a shield, charging to the monster and crushing it beneath the body of its comrade. They became ash, and she rushed to ascertain Link.

He was covered in a collage of cuts but moved with adrenaline as his anesthesia to try thrusting at the being as it balanced itself after a swift counter. To both his and Zelda's surprise the interloper jumped atop his sword, and bringing both him and his blade down. It proceeded to kick Link across the face, knocking him onto his back as his own blood began to merge with the fountain water.

The creature tsked, grabbing the Ordonian sword and letting it rust within its fingertips. It casted the blade aside, and walked over to Link, stepping on the gash across his chest and slowly adding pressure. Rusl shouted for the battle to end, but Link's cry drowned it out.

A final Bulblin faced the Princess, and in her peripheral she swore she saw the image of the dead farmers alongside her. The doppelganger raised its sword above its head with bloodlust, the farmers' ghosts begged for revenge, and Link looked to her with regretful eyes.

"I SURRENDER!"

She bowed with her head pressed hard against the wet marble flooring and hands in front of her. Ganondorf raised his hand to the beast, and it disappointingly sheathed its blade.

"Zelda…" Link extended his hand out to her with tears in his eyes, but the demon silenced him by kicking his ribs hatefully.

"Do not hurt him!" She growled, ignoring the sound of Ashei and Rusl begging her to stop. A wind began to pick up within the square.

Ganondorf clapped his hands, and the shadow walked over to her vulnerable form. She leered up at it, and it sneered down at her. A shade of grey passed its mouth as it took the tip of its blade and placed it beneath her chin, forcing it upward.

"Pathetic." It said, the voice was like garbled water; a continuous echo of the same breathy voice mixed with whispers. It was _his_ voice, the voice of the man now bleeding to death before her, and that frightened her more.

"Don't touch her!" Link growled, standing up with the help of Rusl and Ashei. The creature smirked at him threateningly, and to Zelda's disturbance it grabbed her jaw roughly. Without breaking eye contact with the wounded knight, it ran its hot tongue along the side of her face provocatively. "You son of a bitch!" Link hollered, the blood pumping out faster with the hard pounds of his enraged heart. Zelda brought her hand out to him, she wanted him to relax, she could handle it, but he was so blinded by his rage; never had she seen her calm and collected Hero so unhinged. The wind blew harder.

"Enough," Ganondorf scolded, "Capture them."

"You are under the malinformed impression that they are going with you." She smirked, "I surrendered," Link stared at her in disbelief, "Not them."

The winds raged like a hurricane within the square, Link cried out her name as he and the two warriors beside him began to levitate like leaves victim to a breeze. He held his hand out to her, begging her to grab on and escape with them, but the creature was ready to act. Zelda lifted her hand up, but made no effort to touch his this time. She hoped he would forgive her, the franticness in his blue pools promised otherwise, but she needed him to be safe. On Farore's winds they were lifted away, and Zelda asked the great spirits to return them to safety of Kakariko where Link could be healed. There was so much anger and sadness within him; he wanted her to rely on him for help, to rely on friends, but he could never understand that her life was that of self sacrifice. She needed to take control again, and this was how she planned to do it.

As the wind died down and she was alone with the beasts, a pain clenched her heart. She fell back onto her hands and knees in violent coughs, blood staining her gloves. She overworked herself again, and her vision blurred as a result.

"No matter, we just need her. You're a little rogue now, aren't you Princess?" Ganondorf's fuzzy image moved near her as she began to lose consciousness from fatigue. _As long as they are safe..._ she reminded herself as the world grew dark. _He is safe…_

 _Forgive me..._

* * *

 **Hehehehehehehehehehehe so what do ya'll think about that ending? What do you think will happen next? :3  
**

 **Special thanks to Ripple, Goldzezima and mental27maniac, you guys rock!**

 **Please R &R, your feedback is what helps me grow as an author and really get a feel of the quality (or lack of) in each chapter. Or you could just say hello which is nice too :) I love you all, and will be back this month with the November update. **

**My lovely beta who completed this chapter even with the ACT at their heels: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Stay hydrated, don't forget to smile, and see you all on the next update!**


	13. Chapter 12

**School has made me an empty shell of what I used to be :)**

* * *

Princess Zelda was thrown callously into her room, hitting her head on a chair just as the door was slammed shut. She hissed in pain on the cold floor, trying to reach up to grasp her pulsating cranium, but her body felt paralyzed with fatigue. Tears blurred her vision, yet she kept her resolve; there was mission at stake, a reason for her pain. Ironic that once again her chamber morphed from a safe sanctum to a den of despise on a whim.

She was eventually able to turn her head and glance up at the light entering yonder window, trying to crawl with no use. Zelda slowly regained feeling in her fingertips, and grunted as she attempted to push herself up.

 _BANG!_

Wide eyed, she peered down to her chamber door, now opened uninvitingly as a shadowy figure entered with a sick grin. Her blood froze as she drowned within the dark orbs of its hollow eyes. The creature shifted their color mockingly for an instant to match the cool blue of her hero, but his smoky skin casted the image of lakewater murky with death rather than the sky. He laughed at her, moving slowly just to watch her squirm. She would never give him the satisfaction.

Her expression stayed reserved and unfeeling, but as he reached down and grabbed a fistful of her hair, she broke. Curse her body for giving out a meep of fear so willingly; it looked so much like him, it tricked her muscles into believing they could relax around it. She shut her eyes as he lifted her up by only the roots of her hair, scalp burning in pain but legs still unable to keep herself up.

This was not Link – she could not allow herself to believe it, not even for a second – no matter how familiar it tried to become, this was not her Link. Right? Of course not, this thing was a creature of darkness, a demon, she could never associate her knight with this monster. A dark version of Link: his doppelganger, ready to scorn the world in mischief masquerading as her hero. Dark "L–". No, she refused to refer to them as the same person.

That's all it was. Dark.

Dark chuckled as her face contorted into pain, releasing her hair just to catch her throat within the grasp of his right hand. "Behold, the rose of Hyrule," he taunted, squeezing tighter until air became scarce.

She gained enough strength in her right arm to reach up and claw at his hand, gasping for a chance at sweet breath. He began to drag her across the stone floor uncaringly, saying as she kicked the ground, "The Demon King isn't around, I can do as I please."

Her guts twisted in anxiety as he flung her onto the icy sheets of her bed. He released her neck only to climb on top of her, pinning her right arm with his left and returning to push down on her throat. She struggled, twisting her head to try and break free. "Look at you, a festering gash. How could anyone care about something as inadequate as you." Her heart broke with a loud snap like broken bones. This was not Link, but why did it hurt as if spoken from his own smiling lips? Dark continued with a grin, his voice swimming through her ears as it dripped with a whisper. "You think your precious Hero is so pure? Even a white knight has twisted ideas like a lecherous cretin," Zelda furrowed her brows in confusion and his hand left her throat to twist the other arm, "I can feel it...His sadness...his lust, but especially his hatred for you at this very moment. He does hate you, you know? For being weak."

She twisted and turned, ignoring every poisonous words that left his lips stained with white lies. This pleased him more, to see her any pain. She cried out in horror as his hand went to push up her skirt, scratching his fingers against the flesh of her bare leg and stopping at the upper thigh. He caressed the pale skin. Shivers of disgust washed over her and she bit and screamed at him.

"Such a hideous creature." Dark reached for her bedside table and took the blunt paper opener with a devilish smile.

Without warning the creamy skin of her right leg was stained with red as he stabbed her with the utensil, dragging it down and ripping into her skin slowly as if it were an envelope. White hot pain coursed through her, and she screamed until her voice was lost and throat raw. She struggled but it only made it worse as he continued to carve into her leg like a fall pumpkin, his laughter intermingling with the name of her Hero echoing off the walls.

"Aw, do you love him?" Dark jerked his arm upward and she heard the ripping of her own tissue.

She begged him to stop, but he ignored her with the click of his tongue. "Too bad he never wanted you, did he? He blames you for her leaving, would've rather had her around than you." His words cut alongside her wound. "How does it feel knowing no one loves you?"

"Why! Why are you doing this!" She shouted between sobs.

"Why?" He pondered it jokingly, "He fantasized it once in a drunken rage. _Why why why did she have to go?_ Blame gets tiresome, it changes its mind, but I always remember."

She couldn't respond.

"You're nothing like _her."_ The interloper hissed, visibly pleased with himself.

When it was finished, he casted the bloodied object to the side and appreciated his handiwork, watching as she continued to cry and panic.

"I can't wait to taste his disgust when he sees you now." The hiss of his voice made her wish she were dead.

He got off her trembling form, chuckled, and continued on his way.

"STOP!" Zelda growled out to him, voice cracking and eyes blinded from her pain, "You are n-not my Link...What are y-you…"

There was a pause.

"I'm everything he hates about himself."

The doors closed, and the princess continued to weep, extending her hand out to try and heal the open wound with no avail. She was far too weak at the moment, it was no use. Zelda touched the tender skin and felt the crude tears. It felt like the frayed end of fabric, or paper ripped by an angered child. The pain was indescribable, the blood never seemed to stop flowing even as she began to try and clean it away.

What did he mean, what did any of this mean?! Her limbs had movement, and when she saw the image he had marked into her flesh, vile climbed up her throat. Upon her skin was a symbol of blasphemy she saw too many times within a dream now etched into her person, into the body of a woman destined with purity. The triforce was cut upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light. Princess Zelda stared at it in unblinking horror, for now she knew what it all meant.

…

The princess bathed in a pool of self-deprecation and blood, in a stasis and at the mercy of cruel phantoms who bound her in this state. She laid in her bed, heart flipping as she began falling deeper and deeper into the abyss she called consciousness. Her lungs continued to fail her as a chronic pain drilled into her bones. She would die here, and nothing could stop that.

Whimpers and cries intermingled with flashback after flashback of each life she couldn't save and complete unfeeling darkness. Zelda gripped her chest harshly, here came the heart attack – it was merely the pain of a broken heart from the memory of her hero's sad eyes.

 _"He hates you."_ The dark voice repeated obsessively until she knew every syllable, every tone – she chewed on it until it tasted like the dried blood which coated her outer thigh. It was true, all of it! _This is why you don't leave the castle...people die when you leave the castle!_

Faces invaded her vision: Soldiers. Farmers. Link. Midna. Naru. Ashei. Midna. Children. Zant. Ganondorf. Link. Sutter. Midna.

Blood was in her hair, on her hands – bodies like carpets thrown on her floor, they cried out to her for help until there was only silence.

Reality began to still.

They always mention the calm before the storm, but never the one after. The calm of relieved trees after the wind left them bare, or the clear sky at sunset after a heavy rain. The quietude following a series of obnoxious lightning strikes is especially relaxed, and as her tremors ceased and clouds of misplaced terror passed, the monarch entered a state of chaotic peace. Her leg throbbed in pain so she tightened her makeshift tourniquet of ripped bedsheets. If she couldn't see the mark, it didn't exist.

Princess Zelda blinked her dried eyes slowly and turned to stare at the chair beside her window. She swore she was sitting in that chair, dressed in her favorite ebony cloak with a purple scarf pulled up just below her nose. This residual Zelda watched the raindrops race across the glass comfortably. It was raining?

 _Why would you want to be here,_ she mocked, _Does it not make you feel worse just laying there?_

"It does, but what can I do?" She was startled by how unfamiliar she sounded.

 _I see no use in feeling this way. Get up, finish what you started._

Princess Zelda scoffed at herself. "I-I cannot. My leg–"

 _You are weak. Coward._

"I am not!" She leaned forward and winced in pain.

 _Then prove it._

Zelda laughed, but did not respond.

 _You could always wait here. I do not know what you see in this place, though._

The princess clenched her fists.

 _I merely assumed you wanted to be a cause...not an effect._

She managed to turn onto her side and into a sitting position, joints popping and muscles singing from blissful movement. _Do not let your sacrifice go to waste._ Using the bedpost she pulled herself up and off the bed, stumbling at the soreness in her leg and pushing down her wrinkled skirts. She stayed there for a moment, mouth parched, before limping over to the heavy door.

There was an attempt at summoning her estoc, but she was so depleted it proved futile. Cursing, she pushed open the giant, surprised they left it unlocked but rationalized that her captor was so sure of his ability to incapacitate her that he made no effort at extra precautions. As she traveled down the spiral staircase, her mind pondered the creature that kept her here.

What did he mean with his final statements?

Dark moved so in sync with Link as they fought, were there such creatures able to take on the actions and appearance of their opponents? It was so much more than that though, much more than well-timed mimics and mirror tricks. Her thoughts jumped to Midna and the Twili – was there a third layer between light and shadow? Maybe the Twili weren't the only ones lurking within the darkness.

She rounded the corner, coughing and gagging at a rancid smell that invaded the air. The princess leaned against the wall, clutching the cloth over her leg as the wound she refused to acknowledge burned. The scent of death and feces was everywhere, and down the corridor she saw why.

The hall of Kings was in disarray, the walls were blackened with fire damage and paintings were ripped with statues thrown against the walls like a game. A group of dirty Bulblins played with these valuable artifacts and laughed when their comrade was injured from a stray piece of wood or stone. Zelda had to stifle a gasp at the lifeless bodies of her compatriots littered like trash around the corridor. The line between memory and present time was quickly being blurred, but she had to move on. She was in no position to try and fight, her feelings could not better her judgement. In respect she gave a prayer to Hylia, that maybe after this was won, the fallen would find proper rest.

Princess Zelda limped as fast as she could to the other hall, doing her best to dodge the beasts by pretending they were castle guards and the map was her father. _King Daphnes_ , his name echoed off the walls of her mind. She did not care if she did or didn't find the King, it was not her problem. But then why did she find herself subconsciously entering the empty ballroom expecting to see the shimmering of jewelry and fine fabrics? She stood on the empty dancefloor and stared at the phantom dancers who watched her. Looking to the large throne covered in purple silks, she found it empty, and turning back, she was alone. No dancers, no King, and the music she caught wind of came to a halt.

 _You are free from judgement. Is that not what you wanted?_

She stayed in the silence, imagining herself sitting on the cushioned seat. Or was she watching? She swore the image was of herself again, lingering and blind like the one in her room. There was a tickle crawling down her leg, and looking down she saw blood seep through her white skirt.

Lifting it up, she cursed; the wound had reopened and needed a fresh bandage. She limped to the throne, her mirage disappeared and thigh awoke in pain. The princess limped to the chair and landed with a hard plop on cold cushions. Her wound stung, and she moved to change its wrappings, trying her hardest to ignore the symbol that brought dread to her tired heart. Grabbing the white skirt of her dress, she ripped a strand off with her teeth – she was in her castle, spares would be found in her chambers – and rewrapped her feverish thigh.

She was so small that she was nearly swallowed by the seat, maybe once in her childhood she hid in these cushions. She doubted it, but it was a possibility. There was a shift in the air, it became stagnant and thin – she swore that the ferns began to shrivel just as footsteps filled the room. Quickly Zelda ducked down, folding herself into the throne and using the pillows as a shield. Princess Zelda held her breath as the familiar gurgle of words chided a wheezing man. Her leg continued to sting.

"You've yet to uphold your part of the deal." Dark growled.

"Be patient, I have everything under control," Ganondorf's rumbling quake of a voice murmured a few statements she couldn't make out until eventually continuing with, "And the Princess?"

Dark chortled superciliously, she could hear the way he crossed his arms in pride. "She won't be a problem, she's an obedient little girl."

 _Cocky bastard,_ she dirtied her thoughts, trying to sink deeper into the seat.

"Good. It won't be much longer." Ganondorf coughed.

"You don't sound too well, I don't think you have much time anyway," She missed the next line of his dialogue, straining just to hear him say, "...you've had more than plenty opportunities."

She prayed they would leave, her joints stiffening from the awkward position of her body. They spoke in whispers and exited through the door across the room. Princess Zelda waited until she had total certainty they were gone, pondering what deal they spoke of. This feels different from before; a _bad_ different.

The injured monarch slipped out from beneath the cushions and limp-sprinted in the opposite direction, heading for the Castle Archive. What was his part of the deal, and why would it not be much longer? Had they already discovered the location of the other girls – did they know where Naru was hiding? After hearing his voice the third time, Zelda was sure that Dark was the man on horseback, the commander, but he said that she was the main concern. Too many questions for an already fatigued mind, she couldn't stop and fixate on things that weren't her mission. If she didn't keep this goal in her thoughts, she may go mad.

With little interference, she found the Archive with ease. The castle was her home, she knew these halls better than she knew her own body, every shortcut and hiding place was burned into her memory. The monarch faltered for a moment, catching the glimpse of a painting having been taken from a wall in another room and thrown near a fire. Someone had made this their hiding spot for a time before inevitably being found. There was no sign of them anywhere, only the scraps of their food and memory of their struggle expressed through mess. She ignored the image of children running through her mind, the way they lit up like the flames of the castle when she told them a story. Thinking on it, she noticed the fire damage was minimal in the lower structures – her tower was spared, but the throne room was most likely a phantom of what it used to be. There was a reasonable amount of ash in this area however, and turning to the painting, she sighed.

The ex-inhabitant of the Archive was burning art to keep warm, but they faltered at this one. It was the only portrait made of her and her parents, if she could even call them that. King Daphnes and his wife were slashed from the canvas, their faces untraceable, but the small impressionable princess remained. She had no idea who this little girl was, and since it was already ruined, proceeded to cast it into the flames.

 _That is not me._

And it wasn't. She was with her grandmother that day, traveling to one of the many temples only to come home and find her father had used a stand-in just to have a picture produced to show face of how impressive his family was. Princess Zelda watched it burn. The child was painted with emerald green eyes.

Swiftly she looked away and pulled books from shelves quietly. L, L for Lost or W for Woods. Maybe Master for Master Sword? No, that only produced text of the legend. Lost Woods, yet that produced works of theory muddled with jargon. Arguments on the solidity of evidence suggesting the existence of the Great Deku Tree, thesis after thesis on legends of old versus contemporary interpretation, nothing she could use!

Eventually she entered the realm of cartology, maps of the Faron Province with one thing in common. A place of interest written in very old text with old territory lines and trails. This was the Lost Woods, northwest of the Faron Forest, and at the bottom was her grandmother's official signature. Outdated maybe, but it would do. She snatched the stained paper and headed back to her chambers before her captors noticed. It was easy slipping back into her room, Bulblins are stupid creatures and she was swift like a gazelle even with an injured appendage.

She placed her scroll on the dresser and moved to sit on her chair before the window. The rain was lightening up now, the dark of night hidden behind grey clouds. A sigh escaped her as she began to redo her disheveled locks.

 _"Hair may seem like a vanity, but there's something more to it, "_ Zelda heard her grandmother's wise words once again, _"It's a symbol of pride. To hide behind your hair is like hiding behind your castle walls from the enemy. Show your face proud to say you aren't afraid."_

"I am not afraid." She said to no one.

To her dismay, there was another loud bang at her door, but she was ready. Jumping to stand, she clenched her thigh as it began to burn once more. She limped closer, another bang; she had made sure to lock the door behind her when coming in. Princess Zelda opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the familiar chime of, "Princess Zelda, are you in here!"

She gave a hard gasp, waving her hand and unlocking the door. There was a click, and in came a man clad in green, with hair the shade of wet sand looking to her with eyes dark from sorrow. "Princess!" He called out.

"Link!" Tears escaped and she ran into his arms for a firm embrace. He came for her, he always came for her! Link, her hero, her sun of blinding warm and security! She buried her face into his shoulder, shaking out of relief. "I am so happy to see you."

He chuckled.

Her eyes shot open when the sound made her body quiver in recognition...

He did not smell like freshly cut grass.

She pulled away, taking three steps back to see his colors fade with each bout of laughter. Dark now stood before her, smoky and menacing, crossing his arms over his chest. "Did you really think he would come and save you? You really are a gullible bitch."

Her mask was worn once more, eyebrows being the only traitors to her real emotions. "Have you not done enough," she moved to put the chair between them, "Why torture me more, what will you gain?"

He shrugged, "Satisfaction. I know you've been wandering around the castle, we're not idiots." She was physically still, but her mind glanced to the map in plain view on her dresser. Dark persisted in speaking, "I'm sure you weren't thinking about escaping...were you?" He flashed a toothy grin.

No response for her end.

"I don't think you would since you already know the rules. _If you leave, people die._ " He elongated each syllable of the last statement, using it as a trigger.

And to Princess Zelda's consternation, it worked. Her body went from hot to cold, air became thin, and the world began to spin. She wanted to run away from him, from his expression of superiority. He left confident in his ability to subdue her, and she fell into her seat trying to keep the ghosts away.

…

It was nearly dawn by the time she settled down and her phantoms took their turns within her mind. The woman was tired of course, but more determined now than ever, now donning a fresh set of her favorite gown. She could not stay here, and just as Impaz had told her before, her fear could not clip her wings, especially with her kingdom on the line. She sat on her bed and pondered on how she would escape without them noticing. It was now known that Dark had some eyes on her, possibly from within the castle, and she doubted she could make it to the door and waltz out without a fight. Her leg was still an issue, she wouldn't last, let alone outrun them.

An unconventional means of escape would be necessary, but what would that even look like? Was there anyone she knew who was able to slip out of these walls without using doors? She thought to herself, _Not to get out, but to get in, yes…_

It was decided, and with total focus, she began to meditate. At one time they had shared the same heart, the same mind, and without them, Zelda would have never been able to know her Hero as well as she did. They were indebted to one another, and surfing through their memories, Zelda sought for what she was looking for.

" _Well...I guess this is farewell huh?"_

" _I've taken all that you have to give...though I did not want it."_

One in particular stayed fresh in her mind.

" _But Zant will never be my king! I have nothing but scorn for his supposed strength. Not that your Zelda is much better…"_

She tried to ignore the statements too similar to what her adolescent thoughts would say.

" _It appalls me that this world of light is controlled by that princess. A carefree youth, a life of luxury...How does that teach duty?"_

" _But I guess I shouldn't begrudge her the circumstances of her life...And I would never wish harm on her…"_

There was a hard jolt in her chest, and looking up she saw the solid image of a small imp with glowing red eyes and a toothy grin staring down at her. The etchings of her headpiece and fiery amber of her hair was just as she remembered it all those years ago. Princess Zelda shook her head at her. "It has been so long since I ventured memories not my own. For so long after you left, my jealousy had led me to think awful things of you. I was glad you left, glad my dearest friend could no longer comfort me. Now I recall your ill feelings of me as well, born of our acquaintanceship. You hated me at one time as well, didn't you?" She asked the curvy creature that sat on nothing.

"Tee Hee Hee. You tell me. I'm just a manifestation of your memories of her, you know the answer." The Midna look-alike shrugged.

Princess Zelda looked away. "I know the real Midna was sorry and changed her mind, but was she really wrong in her convictions? "

Another shrug.

"You will never know the terrible things I thought, for this I am glad. My anger was misplaced...but now is not the time. I need your help." Faux Midna stood ready for orders. Princess Zelda nodded, "Twice you had entered my chamber with a back way. I need to know the path."

The imp rolled her eyes with a smile dramatically, motioning for the princess to follow as she moved for the door. "Oh," she sounded, "And just so you're not moping about it the whole way, I'd think the real Midna must've at least _liked_ you to be so protective in the end. I'm sure she'd understand how you felt."

In silence they traveled outside her room, and using chairs as ladders Zelda climbed through the lancet window above the staircase. It was a struggle to get through, the stone like sandpaper and arms still a little too weak, but she prevailed. She placed her boots on the wet blue roof and stared out at the towers so near she thought she could jump to them. A harsh breeze slapped her face, and she nearly slipped on the heavy rain, quickly gripping onto the wall in fear.

"Tee hee, are you scared?" The imp chuckled, gliding in relaxation with a smile.

Zelda shook her head, trying to conjure Farore's wind so to avoid the dangerous trek on a wet castle roof. There was nothing but a headache accompanied by a pain on her leg. "Where next?" The air was dirt mixed with openness, wind howling like a lost wolf.

Midna beckoned her to follow with a slender black finger, the princess followed obediently, arms out like a tightrope walker, unwilling to break gazes with the creature.

"You're doing good. When the real Midna travelled this way, the rooftops were nearly destroyed. Link had four legs to keep him up, so consider yourself impressive." She attempted to make Zelda smile with minor success.

Another harsh gust of wind tried to push her and succeeded, knocking her off the ridge of the roof. She shouted out as the shingles rubbed against her harshly for a moment. Luckily the Gods wished her to live, as she hadn't fallen too far from her original position. With loud grunts she was able to pull her back up the roof's spine, and clung onto it for a moment, unbelieving that she was still alive. The rain came down harder then, her clothing and hair now soaked and wound burning. It slightly reopened again, but there was no time to worry about it.

"Princess watch out!" Midna cried, moving to take the incoming opponent just as the real one would. The Kargarok swooped through the residual body, nearly missing Zelda with its sharp talons. The creature gave a sick caw, fleshy wings flapping to make a roundabout.

Zelda reached for a loose shingle, and waiting for its vulture-like face to be nearer. She chucked the material , striking its beak and watching it fall. It was no mortal wound, it would be back.

"Let's go!" Midna instructed, the Princess pushing herself and moving with a dangerous quickness. More Kargaroks appeared to try and subdue her, time was running out before her captors knew she was attempting to escape. "Over there!" The imp pointed to the swinging door to the upper dungeon. Princess Zelda sprinted with vigor, but her image was beginning to fail, she was growing weaker by the second. With a loud growl, she bolted into the room, and pushed the door shut, leaning against it as the bangs of flying bodies ran into its steel. When it stopped, she slid down into a sitting position by the door, shivering and tired. Summer wasn't meant to be so cold.

"Princess…" Her companion dropped to stand on the hay colored dungeon floor. Zelda looked out to the room and panicked. Darkness consumed every wall, the dark stone and sound of rattling shackles stole her breath. It dawned on her where they were, where she feared of visiting for the past four years! Extending her hand out, she lit every torch in the room, nose beginning to bleed as the result. "Stop!" Midna scolded, "Princess I know you don't like it here, but this is the only way to get you out of the castle."

The monarch felt her nail beds ache with sour memories. "Y-You shall accompany me, correct?"

The imp put her hand against Zelda's cheek. "You're using all your magic to summon me, if I stay you'll lose consciousness before you reach the door. Midna's memories show she took the lower dungeons to the sewer, but you could take it to the courtyard, and escape from Castle Town."

"I do not like it here, I can not–"

"You can't let things like this control you. It's only a room." Midna's image began to fade, leaving the princess alone with her thoughts and whatever lay in the shadow. She rested for a breath, the sound echoing off the chamber uncomfortably. There was a stairwell, she could see it beneath the warm torch light, it wasn't an issue.

Slowly the princess gathered herself, pulling a torch off the wall and scaling it with her gloved hand. _Deep breaths, it is only a room,_ she told herself, placing one foot on the stair.

 _A room where you were imprisoned like an animal._

"There is nothing to fear, I am a pillar of strength." She ignored the annoying voice in her head.

 _You hate the darkness, remember. It was so cold._

She stopped her descend, closing her eyes and grounding her thoughts. _What would the Hero do,_ she told herself, imagining him standing beside her. His winning smile, the look of concentration on his brow – he was the epitome of courage. She carried on, she had to get to him. The winding stairs never seemed to end, but when they did, she was faced with the castle aqueduct and a door. The dim luminosity of her torch made the trip through dank tunnels seem impossible, the loud scurry of a rat increasing her caution.

Princess Zelda went for the door, but stopped before her hand could grab the handle. She was frozen.

 _The rose wailed to those wanting to listen, she began to wither, broken within her prison. Wolves in sheep's clothing cared for her, wanting to see her bloom. Even when they gave her sunlight and a new garden, she would not grow. By spring, she had ceased to be a perennial._

She lurched her hand onto the knob, angry at herself for allowing such a pitiful memory to return. This room was what stood between her and her freedom, no way would she let that get in the way of her goals. With mock vigor she entered, the fire bouncing off the stone walls creating the look of a furnace. Slowly she brought her whole body in, the smell of bile and human feces was so strong she nearly vomited. Bitterly Zelda continued through the dark corridor, glancing into the first cell, fearful of what she may see.

Nothing, totally empty save for a family of rodents. _One more Zelda,_ she assured herself, _You are almost to the door._

Another step, but just as the bars began to glisten in fiery steel, she heard the odd shackle of chains. She jumped back, she was not alone.

"Who goes there?" A raspy voice called out fearfully. It was a man who she quickly moved to try and give aid to.

Princess Zelda moved her torch to attempted and see within the black cell, and spotted the figure of a man sitting in the corner, his fat belly popping out from beneath his white shirt and over his hose. His hair was white as snow, across his forehead was a crown made of cord and dining forks. His cerulean eyes mixed with the flame to create a deep amber glow that pierced her with haunting recognition.

"King Daphnes." She spoke as a statement, lips pressed into a hard line and stomach filled with rocks.

"Oh," He grumbled, "it's you."

Had she expected a reunion filled with tears and hugs: no, but the way he looked at her with such disdain even in these times was astonishing.

She moved closer to try and get a better look. He was not chained, but was left in only his undergarments with a bale of hay as his mattress. It was terribly sad to see a King of Hyrule treated in such a way, no matter how much of an arse they were. The Princess tried to bury the hatchet for a moment and show only empathy for her king. She frowned, "What have they done–"

"I'm sure you're happy. Got everything you wanted now." He spat before she had time to finish her sentence. His bushy brows furrowed and his arms crossed his chest. He tried sitting a little taller, just staring at her like a predator.

She raised her torch, mask placed firmly on her face where it belonged, and without a single drop of emotion stated, "I told you something terrible was underway, you were too stubborn to hear it."

King Daphnes scoffed at her response. "Let me guess, you surrendered again? How am I not surprised that a coward just gave up like you always do."

"At least I am not inside of a cage," She stayed collected, "Unlike you I am out here, able to make a difference because I wasn't too proud to listen to my own child."

He did not like that rebuttal much.

"And what do you expect to do now, hm? How many people have you let die by just giving in?" He pointed a bony finger accusingly at her, eyes filled with hate.

 _None yet._

A hard blow to her mask, a drip of anger seeped into her first sentence, "How dare you speak of such a thing!" She replaced rage with sadness and conviction. "I try to help instead of sign their lives away with each passing decree. Why would you put such an awful law under my name? Did you heed my warning and were planning to use it against me when the dust settled? Was it to be another Twili invasion all over again?"

It worked, he was silent. He had eyes of a guilty man unwilling to look his actions in the face while the consequences were near. She was too old to be surprised by his plans anymore, to be hurt by them. For the moment she was in control.

"You see those scratches on the wall? " She pointed to the white markings and he turned to see. "Those are from my own fingernails. And that dent? That was when I used a stone to try and break the bars after you left me here all night for the third time."

He regained enough strength to face her, but still held remorse in his orbs. Princess Zelda did not plan to stop there. "Now that you live the life of an animal, how do you feel? Dwell on this feeling, let it gnaw on your insides and keep you awake at night. For it is that torment and fear that I came to expect every waking moment of my life, and yet I have learned to overcome it. Maybe with baby steps, but that is at least something. Now look at you, a sad man with nothing left to comfort him. Will you be strong enough to overcome it? I may be flawed, but I am stronger than you ever will be."

They stared at one another, fire in both their eyes. He laughed, clapping his hands together in applause. "You speak beautifully, very poetic, but words are just words Princess."

She lowered her chin, and he proceeded to explain, "I put you in here to not only conduct a fair trial, but to try and teach resolve, but you just collapsed in on yourself like some child afraid of the monster under her bed. I stand by my opinion, you don't have what it takes to rule a Kingdom, and I blame my mother for that. She planted stupid ideas in your head about grandeur and birthrights, but here you are, cold and without a home, not even safe within your own thoughts. And me? I at least have shelter and a three course meal. Even though I yearn to be free, I am still in a better state of mind than you'll ever be."

She narrowed her eyes at him. Maybe he was right? No, she couldn't allow herself to accept it so blindly. The images of her allies – of her _friends_ dare she say it, wouldn't let her give up. He was so terribly wrong, and he'd never admit it. Princess Zelda chuckled, "You are a sad man, and I shall no longer let your words hurt me again."

Extending out her hand, she summoned an orb of pure energy which practically ate the light from her torch. She let it grow within her palms until it was large and menacing, an electric texture of purple and blues ready to burst. Looking up, Zelda held it out in Daphnes' direction, watching him shiver in fear as his face darkened with shadow. No one would hear him scream.

 _Yes, do it!_

"There's many things grandmother taught me…" She said in a whisper, fingers twitching with each endless possibility.

 _Make him suffer like he did you!_

She watched him, he tried to hide away from her, and with a swift slice of her hand she released the energy which freed itself onto its prey.

King Daphnes covered his face, but when the bang of falling metal rang, he looked over in surprise. The lock had been broken off, and the cell door opened with a creak.

Princess Zelda leered down at him, so many possibilities and she chose this one. Turning away, she whispered as she left, "Do not say I never showed you compassion."

…

There it was, her freedom just a courageous step away. She stayed on the other side of the bridge, feet planted firmly on the wooden planks as she stared out to the Eldin Province. She looked down at the blood on her skirt then to the divide between her and the dirt trodden trail.

For the first time in her life, she took her fate into her own hands, but then why was she hesitant? Hyrule Field was barren, the brisk breeze being the only sign of life. She practically glowed against the grey sky, storm clouds moving as far away as they could from this place. Her fists clenched and unclenched.

 _What are you waiting for?_

She didn't have to dwell on the question long. A threat still loomed over her: If she left the castle, people die.

"Yet if I stay, death still occurs." She hovered her foot over the road ahead, still unwilling to set it down.

"They die because of my ill judgement." She stepped back.

A pair of sad eyes popped into her mind. "But I need to see him again."

The sole of her boot saw the ground again. She finally asked herself, _What would the Hero do?_ Or rather, _what would she do?_

Both feet were now firmly on the dirt path, she closed her eyes expecting some explosion or to be struck by lightning. Nothing.

She had done it, she had actually done it! Princess Zelda grounded her instep into the road, listening to rocks crunch beneath her. "I'm coming home." she told herself as she limped to Kakariko. As the castle grew smaller behind her, she felt relieved. However, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as if those pair of empty eyes followed her down the trail, maybe hidden within her shadow.

* * *

 **Special thanks to: Ripple, SweetestChick, Lollie. T. M, Jewel08, Ultimate blazer, jennagriffin, and ChildofGalecia**

 **Thank you for being apart of this story, and yes these last two chapters have been a total feels-fest. We have yet to get off the feels-train though. Lollie. T. M left a lovely review (thanks doll) explaining how she felt through reading the last chapter, I appreciate that so much. To hear, not only from her but from all the other reviews, that I have stirred something instead of you with my writing, is a total honor.**

 **This months question to consider: How has Zelda grown as a character, if at all?**

 **My lovely editor SunnyAirisu222 and I discussed this during the editing process, and I'm curious to hear what you all think.**

 **Side note, the one year anniversary of Shards is coming up in December, and we have a treat planned for you! See you lovelies soon, don't forget to R &R and stay hydrated!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Well I wanted to post this chapter yesterday but the site was having issues. So happy belated 1 year Anniversary to this story!**

 **I would also like to take the time to dedicate this chapter to the victims of the Thomas Fire in Ventura County California. I'm from said County, and my family as well as many others were affected by the smoke and flames. If I have any readers who happened to have been in or near the fire, or in any natural disaster, my heart goes out to you 3  
**

 **Without further ado!**

* * *

The Merchants' Road was a lonely travel, her lone companion being the pale moonlight; but even the moon was like a teasing lover hiding behind passing clouds. It was cold, but she knew that if she stopped to rest, her legs may not work when she woke up. Her stomach growled and throat was arid – biting the inside of her cheek and chewing on small ribbons of chewy flesh to try and trick her body into thinking it was no longer hungry. Her mouth tasted like metal, her limbs felt heavy like steel.

"I am...almost there…" She lied to herself, gazing out the red mountains still so far away. It was frigid despite it being summer, but her fingers refused to conjure forth a flame out of fear and fatigue. What would the gossip mongers think if they saw her now? "The Princess of Hermits." She said in Alger's familiar hiss, chuckling at the idea – her ribs sore from her fall on the rooftops.

Without warning, Zelda's foot snagged on a sneaky rock, causing her to trip and fall gawkily onto the rocky earth.

"Fuck!" She cried out behind clenched teeth as her thigh erupted with searing agony. Clenching it, she rocked with the waves of discomfort until they subsided; never did she check the wound she pretended did not exist. With her pain at a bearable level, the woman looked down at her boot now ripped, sole hanging off the rest like a broken limb.

 _You test me,_ she mentally groaned to the Gods, struggling to get up. She plopped down with a thud, looking up at the empty sky defeatedly. Her muscles relaxed and cramped all at once, she wouldn't be getting up for a while.

It was the clopping of hooves that pulled the princess from her stasis with the threat of attack. The dirty monarch reached for the nearest weapon – a stick homing one leaf – and jutted it in the animal's direction. The plant smacked against a velvety muzzle, a slight exhale exited two nostrils. Epona looked down at her quizzically, tossing her platinum mane with a whine.

"I-It is you." Zelda dropped the twig with a sigh of relief. The horse exhaled in response.

She extended her hand out to brush against Epona's soft nose, drinking in the comfort. "Not to say I am displeased in seeing you," she coughed, "But how did you find me?"

The equestrian began to nudge at the woman.

"Does he know you are here?" She moved into a sitting position, sore and reaching for the creature's bridle. Epona neighed, moving her head to lift the princess off the ground.

Zelda hissed in pain until she was standing again, leaning against the sturdy beast. "Thank you, but this is not necessary. You have no need to partake in this risk for my safety," The stead watched her with listening brown eyes, "I have but a day's journey left. Return to your rider, lest he discovers you are gone."

A nauseating discomfort filled her empty stomach as it cried for a meal. Zelda became lightheaded, and threw her arm around the soft neck of her companion. Through a splitting headache she saw Epona was nudging for the weak monarch to board her saddle. "I see...Trying to convince you otherwise is futile, is it not?"

Epona made a noise of agreement.

The princess lowered her chin and grabbed the saddle horn. "Then I have no choice," she quickly raised a stern finger to point at the gentle eyes watching her, "But only this once. The only party responsible for my person is me, I will not have you risking your life to try and save mine." She placed her broken boot in the stirrup and jumped to ride astride, her skirt blanketing the simple equestrian in a robe of white. Her feet felt like they were bleeding as they rested, a bitter breeze cooling the hot flesh as it snuck into all available places.

Zelda yawned, goosebumps bouncing on her arms and chest. "Return us then, but please go slow. I am not feeling too well," Her words became garbled as she slumped forward, laying atop the horse despite the saddle digging into her solar plexus. She was too tired to move – like an old dog sitting on a nail, she howled about the discomfort but did nothing to change it. Epona started with a slow rhythmic walk, and Zelda fumbled with the thick strands of moonlight.

"I had a pony once," She smiled, "I named her Silence. She was a very good horse – my biggest regret is not being much of a rider to begin with, she could have been so happy with a real horseman. I was just so unwilling to let her go, and yet I made no time to care for her as I should have." Zelda frowned. "Of course, she had the Stable Master to keep her company, and in all honesty my schedule was far too compact but still – You are such an amazing creature, and I cannot help but wonder: Would you still love your rider even if he did wrong against you?"

Epona whinnied in confusion.

"Allow me to reword it. Would a pure animal such as yourself be able to forgive the one you love even if they made a mistake in your disadvantage?" Another wave of nausea overcame her, and as she reached to fumble inside the saddle packs to find a potential canteen, she was disappointed.

"I only ask because I am not very good with people. I try and anticipate their reactions to things; however, my scrutiny is often blinded by what I _imagine_ will happen. I caused someone very dear to me to become bothered by my actions, and I am unsure what to expect when I eventually come to see him again. If I was in his position, I would completely understand the decision as being that of ethics and necessity, and imagine he would be very sympathetic as well...You have not been trained to think with such a critical mind, and neither has he, so I wonder...Does he truly hate me?" Princess Zelda licked the metallic skin of her lips now like mud cracks in the desert. Epona, possibly processing the sounds as nothing-noise, did not answer her questions – it was mad to think a horse would to begin with.

Clouds passed to puddle the earth in darkness, and for the first time in what felt like centuries, she began to fall into a deep sleep.

…

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere._

 _However, she sees with difficulty through eyes made of wounds a place once familiar now a stranger. She stands in nothingness, but sees the figure watching her with equal intensity, yet looks through her. A shroud of black begins to say quite calmly, "She's gone."_

 _A detached voice behind her responds, "For now."_

 _The shadow's attention is now fully in her direction, looking her up and down like a predator his prey as flames began to lick at her heels. There's a twinge of pain, and looking down, blood covers her abdomen whilst a new man stands in front of her, crying out her name. She loves him, but her blood drips from his blade. And as the droplets hit the floor, they form the Triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light._

…

Princess Zelda awoke from her night terror in gagging gasps, nearly falling off the stationary saddle when her wound seared like a hot blade. She cursed as the feeling of danger subsided and the touch of a tree's shadow replaced it. She glanced down at Epona lapping up fresh river water gleefully, and instinctively the monarch threw herself off the creature and onto the river shore – dunking and slurping from her rabid hands as the sweet sweet water trickled down her throat and cascaded from her face like a waterfall of desperateness. With her thirst diminishing, she realized she was kneeling on all fours, face inches from the river like an animal. She tried to find her reflection amongst the colors that wavered, but traded to look at the water which covered her front like a child their dinner.

She sat back, placing a soggy gloved hand on her crown in incredulity. All those years of etiquette and cleanliness thrown away on the whim of desolation. Epona looked at her, puzzled but not curious.

"Nothing. I simply surprised myself." She stood up. With her thirst quenched, she felt a little better, her stomach deceived for the time being. "Are we ready to continue?"

The horse whinnied.

"You are right, I am a bit tired as well...I am sure camping here will be sufficient?"

Another neigh.

"Of course I know how to set up a camp," she limped to the saddlebags, "Link usually carries supplies, no? We may see what fate has left us." Within was a single arrow, a roll of bandages, and flint and steel. She was optimistic for the most part, looking at the rock curiously before setting it aside. Honestly, she had no idea how to use such tools – why would a senior in magic have to? – but she was too weak still to cast anything.

There was a rustle.

"What was that?" Zelda swerved to stare at a pair of bushes surrounding them.

Epona became frantic and she took that as a hint that they should leave as soon as possible, hopping back on and turning. However, growls came from behind the shrubbery and spooked the large creature that reared so suddenly that it knocked Princess Zelda to the floor.

Three wolves stalked slowly into the vision, cutting away from their space until they were choking on fear. Zelda scooted away, standing up frightfully when her estoc still refused to show.

One had a crooked tail and looked at Epona in hungry lust, growling in anticipation. Zelda watched it as it came closer, Epona tried to shoo it away with no result, it just kept moving forward. It was while watching the starving brown eyes that the runt of the group lunged from her peripheral.

She raised her left arm to shield her face as the canine sunk its heavy teeth into the muscle of her forearm, knocking her over and shaking its head to rip her to shreds. She shouted out in pain, hitting the beast in any way to try and free herself from the sharp grasp. Epona reared in an angry panic, kicking the wolf off Zelda – it ran away with whimpers. Blood oozed like the river water, but when the crooked tail lunged at her companion, the Princess's adrenaline was in control. Epona reared again, this time knocking the contents of the saddlebag across the ground as she tried to stomp at the creature now nipping at her ankles.

Zelda grabbed a fallen branch and fumbled for the flint and steel, but was once again pounced by the third wolf. Luckily she was able to impede the chomp to her neck by filling its mouth with the wood, struggling to keep it off her as she searched for the lone arrow. She had no bow, but it still had a point.

The wolf growled, and in a single hard shove she pushed him off her. She had two seconds and reached blindly for her weapon, and just as the beast regained itself, it lunged once more at her, teeth aiming for her neck. In one fell swoop, she sheathed the arrow deep into the canine's neck. It fell away from her, whimpering as its essence quickly flowed from its form.

Even with blood on her hands and face, she did not hesitate to take her branch and breathed into a short cantation of flames, quickly whipping back to strike the crooked tail with her burning bush, vision filled with black dots. The leader did not back down, only snarl threateningly at Epona. Zelda waved the fire in its face, growling back at it and shouting in animalistic tongues. It watched her as it began to retreat, not taking its eyes off the woman with stormy eyes and petals of blood across her dress. Epona huffed in good riddance, but when it was far from their sight, Zelda just sank to the floor, gasping for air. She set the burning branch down and looked at the wound and then at the unmoving form of one of the wolves, arrow still upright like its grave marker. She covered her mouth in disbelief as she waited for its form to erupt into ash like any monster made of darkness, but it did not. It stayed.

She had – for the first time in her life – gone against her vow and killed an innocent creature guilty for nothing more than being hungry. Yes, it was out of self defense, but it was just as terrifying as watching the life leave the eyes of her first man. She felt just as much guilt now as she had then, but this time she had no crowd to congratulate her on fulfilling her duty. She was, for the first time once again, completely alone. Link was not here to save her; she was now playing the role of her own hero.

Her wounds burned, and she rushed to try and wash off the animal's blood now mixed with her own, grabbing the fallen bandage off the ground and using it to wrap her weak arm. Using the lit branch, she made a small fire – Epona was very glad to have the light protect them.

The Princess was still extremely tired, vision still spotted from hunger and overstepping her boundaries. She glanced between the fire and the dead creature with dread. She didn't want to do this, but she was so hungry. She shook the idea away.

Why should his sacrifice go to waste? She bit her finger, it felt too inappropriate, she didn't have the gaul to do it...But, she was so hungry. With a heavy heart, she crawled to the body and said a quick prayer before removing the weapon from its neck, all the while reminding herself: _What would the Hero do?_

 _..._

"Thank you for my possibilities." She sighed before sinking her teeth into the cooked meat in her hands as her stomach jumped in joy. It was gamy yes, but it was a godsend nonetheless. Princess Zelda looked like a woman of the wilds, not like any hero on a quest like the ones from her bedtime stories. They had romanticised the journey as being that of valor and divine intervention, but there were no relaxing nights by the fire nor immortality born from determination. She could have died tonight had it not been for luck and proper timing, and no one would have known why! A nobody death...No heroism, no martyrdom for a greater good, no one would be saved – and that was what frightened her the most. She gnawed at the meat, thankful she could taste it. Turning to Epona, she saw the creature was unfazed; she wondered how often the equestrian had seen such desperation in a Hylian.

She thought back to Link, at how hard it must have been for him living out here. He was far more trained yes, but she vaguely recalled in memories not her own the sight of his struggles with the wild world. She leaned against a tree and would not sleep the rest of the night.

…

The magnificent red canyons were within her reach, the heat enveloped her in a dry hug that left her lungs without air. She extended her hand out to the black gates now in view, body aching in places she didn't know could hurt, but she carried on. Epona hurried her steps as the sun rose into the pink sky, her rider was weakening by the minute. Zelda was so drunk on mania that she forgot to wash the blood from her skin and it felt dried and tight on her hands and face. The wrappings of her arm were coming off too drenched in her essence, but he was so close, she needed to see him before she could worry.

The loud cry of a horn awakened the sleeping valley, cherubs sang out to her from above a tower. Looking up she saw Naru and Talo waving their arms frantically, Naru's tears glowed with melancholic radiance from the rising sun. The two grabbed cuccos and leaped from the tower tops; she chuckled for some reason. Her stomach growled just as the gates opened and Shaman Renado stared in disbelief in her direction.

Epona stopped just as another face appeared from behind steel, eyes blue as the sky filled with brilliant sunlight. Princess Zelda smiled weakly as he gawked at her, fresh bandages on his arms and fading bruises on his chin. He was beautiful.

She dismounted with a heavy plop, holding her arms out to him as she limped in his direction. He ran to her, frantic and breathing heavy, eyes running over the bloody mural on her person. At one point, her legs crumbled under her own weight; she fell forwards, too tired to continue, and just as she expected he jumped out to catch her, dropping to his knees as he placed her hard against his chest.

The torn muscles and weary bones sighed; she anxiously sniffed before finding any comfort in a possible ruse. He smelled of freshly cut grass and ointments, she was safe, so she closed her eyes and limped within his arms.

…

Shaman Renado's daughter proved to be an expert in remedies despite barely blossoming into womanhood. She was taller than the other children, maybe 3 years Naru's senior, yet held a reserved maturity that interested the princess. She was shy yet stern when it came to her job. Luda took an oily concoction and rubbed it into the sore muscles of the princess's shoulders and the pain melted away in a minty cool. She was assertive and fearless, not staring away when being told to disrobe the princess to properly bind up bleeding cuts and bruises; she was a professional.

"Your arm." she held her small palm out, deep earthy eyes inspecting the teeth marks. Her short black hair framed a childishly round face, leather skins matched her father's. Naru stood beside her, silent and cafard, listening to the instructions of the Kakariko native as she was taught ancient medicinal techniques.

Luda took a needle and thread and punctured the skin, closing the holes with each stitch as if she was nothing more than torn fabric. Naru winced, but Zelda watched curiously as it pulled the skin together.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" Luda questioned, tying the thread and snipping off the excess.

"Not at all. What herb created this numbing?" Zelda responded.

"No herb," an elderly man stumbled in, "Only science."

"Doctor Borville was kind enough to give us the last of his numbing potion." Luda smiled at the grouchy man.

He frowned, "It is not potion, it is medicine! No magic, simply pure Hylian ingenuity." He humped matter-of-factly, moving his large spectacles.

"Well, thank you Doctor. I was afraid we had gotten off on the wrong foot the first time we spoke." Zelda added.

"Even if I don't agree with your beliefs, I still have a duty as a medical physician. If you need a check up, feel free to see me, flowers can't cure everything." He walked out into the Inn and Luda smiled. They sat in Princess Zelda's appointed bedroom in the upstairs of the Inn now filled with floral arrangements pulled together by the refugees. Desert flowers mostly, scentless yet beautiful in their ability to survive harsh climates. She looked at them all with a smile. Council Nohansen had visited her, with Shad and Auru scribing down each detail as she told them count by count what occurred in the castle.

She found it ironic when they reprimanded her for taking such risks when people needed her; now the two Lords wanted her to rule. At one point, Viscount Osmar asked if she had seen his son – he was disappointed with the answer. When they found out she discovered the map, they regarded her as a Hero; the thought of what they would've said had she failed did not escape her. Telma gave her a harsh hug, Impaz scolded her, and the rest of the Resistance thanked her for her sacrifice. The only person missing from the reunion was the one person she wanted to see most.

"Drink." Luda placed a cup to her lips. " You are still very dehydrated and lost a lot of blood. Consider yourself lucky to be alive."

Naru shivered at the statement, shoulders hunched.

"What is wrong little one?" The princess furrowed her brows in concern, but Naru gave no answer.

Luda instead declared, "Alright, last one." She reached down to pull up the skirts, but Zelda stopped her with a fast hand and frantic eyes. Luda scowled, "Would you rather get an infection and lose your leg?"

"It is not that, I–" Zelda's heart pumped wildly within her rib cage, couldn't she just forget it was there?

"Your Highness please. I want to help you." She lifted the skirt and began to unravel the blood crusted wrappings revealing the very deep cut in her thigh, red and feverish. Luda began to clean it, the burning seared through her veins, and with the image in full sight, the children froze with a gasp.

Luda covered her mouth with eyes wide as the moon. "Princess did that–"

"Tell me," Zelda looked away with a strained voice, "Can it be healed?"

There was a pause.

"...Your skin has very intense trauma...It will heal, but a scar will remain."

She felt like an icy bucket of water was dumped onto her, she cursed the air she breathed. "You have no medicine – Maybe Doctor Borville–"

"No, Your Majesty…None of it will do…" Luda trailed off.

A whimper came out of Naru's hidden mouth, frightened and pained. Zelda turned to see tears streaming down her face from reddened eyes that reflected the accursed symbol. She whispered, "I heard you in my dreams…"

"What?" Zelda questioned, reaching out to wipe away a tear only to have her back away.

"I HEARD YOU SCREAMING FOR MERCY IN MY DREAMS!" Naru burst out in sobs, covering her ears and shaking her head. She appeared physically ill just by looking at it. Zelda pulled her into an embrace as she tried to calm her nerves.

"Shh little one, I am here. I am safe." She assured.

Naru quieted down. "I thought you were dying...I thought they were killing you…"

"No no, no more thoughts of that nature," She ran her fingers through the long dusty strands before stopping as a thought invaded, "Naru, did you tell your big brother about those dreams?"

The child froze.

"Nevermind that, it is alright little one, I understand."

Luda bowed her head and left to give them privacy before bumping into a hard figure. Her yelp of pain led Zelda to peer up from beneath long lashes to meet the solemn expression of her courageous knight. Luda apologized for not seeing him and ran off, the room filling with a foreboding electricity.

He watched her with a saddened frown, the dark under his eyes were mistaken for bruises. She saw in the purple flesh sleepless nights he spent hearing her banshee wails as Naru cried for comfort; he was very tired.

"Little one," the princess held her chin softly, "You should go play with your friends now. I am alright." She gasped in disagreement, thrusting her arms out to latch onto the wounded monarch who only pinned the flailing limbs in her body. "Look at me. I am going nowhere. Your big brother and I need to speak in private."

The child paused, then sighed in defeat, hand reaching up to touch the necklace beneath her hand-me-down shirt. When she reached Link's side, she stopped, back facing the princess, and she placed her marked hand within Link's left, holding it silent. Her thumb caressed his calloused knuckles where they appeared to have split from punching a hard surface. She continued walking away, closing the door behind her.

Link saw Zelda, and she him. They sized one another up like an opponent before battle, comparing bandages and bruises. She secretly feared his looks – she couldn't shake the idea of seeing disgust in his eyes as Dark had predicted. She moved her skirts slightly to slowly begin hiding the mark.

"Link." She greeted plainly, the candlelight making his eyes burn like blue opals.

"Princess." He walked forward slowly and pulled up a chair from her desk. He sat at her bedside and smiled warmly at the color returning to her face. The corners of her mouth turned upwards to see he was healing.

"Are you feeling better?" She questioned.

He let out a breathy chuckle, thinking he should've asked that question instead.

"I am glad. I was so afraid that…" His eyes lowered in pain at her statement's path so she changed it. "How are you? The others had visited me but you were nowhere to be found. I feared I had offended you somehow with my arrival."

He didn't appreciate her dry humor, taking her words as truth rather than friendly banter what with her unchanging expression. His eyes retreated to a darker part of his mind, and she sniffed for his familiar scent as a reaction. He shook his locks and appeared tormented again. "Why did you…"

She interrupted, "I do not regret my actions, Link."

He slammed his eyelids shut. "They could have killed you."

"I would rather me than you."

He snapped with brows bent in disbelief, "How can you say that?!"

She clenched her fists. "We had a mission and I would see to it completed no matter the costs. Your death was not an option."

"But your death is?"

"If that means keeping peace, then yes," She raised a brow, "They would have followed me here if I left with you. No one else dies from my decisions."

He opened his mouth in shock. "You got lucky Princess, what if they weren't so reasonable? What if they had seriously injured you?" Were those tears welling up within his eyes?

She pressed her mouth in a thin line to think of her rebuttal, pushing the skirt down faster. The warrior caught the shift in movement and shot a look down at her moving hand. A shiver ran through her body as she jumped to cover it completely before he thrust his hand down to pull up to see what she was hiding. Her eyes glossed over with the ghost of the interloper's wicked smile eclipsing over her knight. She paused in a learned terror, wide eyed and frozen in a time passed.

When she eventually snapped out of the daze, Link was watching: devastated. His mouth was agape, eyes so wide they threatened to pop out of his skull, and brows so close together they began to crack his face. He looked at the mark on her leg, the shreds of skin and dark color around the laceration, squeezing the fabric in a deathly grip. Zelda covered her mouth as repugnance filled him to the brim, a tear running down her cheek at the fulfilled prophecy.

"I...That thing did this to you... didn't it." He growled. The look of total revulsion was not for her cursed mark, but for another. He sat up and began to swear that he would put an end to his doppleganger, secretly blaming himself for its actions.

"That creature is not you." She affirmed. _I am everything he hates about himself,_ popped into her head, but she dismissed it. "Wounds will heal, what is important is that we are a step closer to finding answers."

"This is exactly why I didn't want you going!" He put his head in his hand in conflict with himself.

"I will not just stand around while people risk their lives for me!" She shouted, "I thought you would be happy for me! For finally taking care of myself and doing what I think is right!"

He growled at himself. "That's not what I meant–"

"What did you mean then?! Hm?" She closed her eyes, "Would you rather me continue my poor excuse for a life cowering behind walls? Because I refuse to live that way!" She opened to glare at him just as his hands grabbed her upper arms. He rammed his mouth against hers, taking her breath away as he began to kiss her sore lips. It was rough and possessive yet intimate with slow movements, fearful as if she would disappear if he didn't have their skin pressed so hard together. Heat suffused within her body, a salty wetness cooling her. _That didn't happen eith_ – no wait, this was no figment of her overactive imagination, this was reality.

He broke the impulsive kiss slowly, eyes still shut despite trails of tears escaping beneath. Never had she seen him cry.

Link hung his head low and slowly whispered, "I don't want to lose you…"

With each cascading tear, she saw in their reflection his hopelessness when she casted them away. He blamed himself for the mark on her leg, and for the bandages upon her body. She motioned him to sit down, feeling her numbed lips for a moment. She always dreamed of her first kiss, but she couldn't say she imagined it being so bittersweet. The princess could not fully comprehend what it meant – she knew he loved–. No, she didn't need to tear apart every second and question every moment.

" I did not mean to make you worry, but I needed to do this." She wiped his tears away with the back of her hand tenderly.

He stared into her cold blue eyes and produced a weak smile, reaching up to hold her hand and place it back on the bed. He wanted to apologize, feeling as if he had overreacted a bit, understanding that last minute decisions are sometimes necessary even if others don't approve – which he didn't, but he still respected it. She wanted to tell him everything that happened with Dark, every odd statement and accusation, but thought it unwise. Something told her it would be a bad time, so instead she gave him a timid smile.

A knock came from the door, and Ilia poked her head in with a beaming grin. "My turn," She laughed before noticing the two still a breath apart. She blushed, "I interrupted something private didn't I?"

Link stood up from his seat calmly, waving his hand at her before glancing back at the still bed-ridden princess. It was like she was the only woman in the world receiving that stare.

"Perfect timing actually. My bandages need to be changed, you may help me." Princess Zelda motioned Ilia over as Link exited the room. She missed his warmth.

"I feel so bad, I didn't mean to–"

The monarch raised her hand. "No need. Please, sit. Is Elric not with you?"

Ilia twiddled her thumbs while looking away. "He's with Council Nohansen negotiating trade deals with the Gorons."

"Smart idea. I hope to end this isolation from our rocky brethren, and reestablishing trade is a reasonable plan." Zelda pointed to the clean cloth pads and wrappings.

The green-eyed woman removed the old bandage from Zelda's shoulder and replaced it with new clean one, slow and thoughtful with each movement like a seamstress. "I'm glad you're okay, everyone was so worried – You're tired hearing about this aren't you?"

Princess Zelda laughed honestly. "Not at all. It's nice to know I was not forgotten."

Ilia frowned at the word and sit down, replacing it seriousness. "Link was broken without you...I know he gave you a tough time before, but give him time. I grew up with him, and that boy has always carried the world on his shoulders even when we never asked him to."

"I am well aware."

"Good. Then you know he has nothing against you – it's that hardened look in your eye. The one you get when faced with survival knowing no one's gonna keep you breathing but yourself. A Hero's eyes." Ilia sighed.

"First Warrior's Heart and now Hero's eyes? I sound like a walking medical study." She chuckled, glad to see the Ordonian do the same. Ilia pushed a blonde strand off her forehead before reaching toward the bandage roll again.

"Alright, time to change these things." She stood up.

Princess Zelda leaned back and eyed her curiously, raising her hand. "You had already completed that task."

Ilia paused, blushing profusely before sitting back down. "Oh Gods how embarrassing. I forgot didn't I?"

"Your memory is troubled again?" Zelda asked.

"Shaman Renado says it's because of stress, and usually lasts for only a few seconds at a time but – Well yesterday I forgot who Beth was for a good two minutes...I didn't tell anybody, and she was far away yet I couldn't recognize her until Sera said her name," She balled the end of her cream shirt in frustration, "It's been four years since I had an episode like that."

"What brings you this unease?"

Ilia laughed, patting her forehead softly. "Look at me, complaining to the Princess of Hyrule about being stressed. I could count my people on two hands while you have a kingdom to worry about." Nervous laughter bounced off the empty walls, but Zelda was not smiling.

The monarch straightened herself with hard brows and scolded, "Just because your issues are smaller does not make them any less significant, especially when proving detrimental to your health."

Green eyes clouded with thought. "I suppose I should listen to the Triforce bearer of Wisdom, huh?"

"It would be wise to listen to me as a friend."

The blonde nodded, "I'll let you get some rest Your Highness. Elric is probably wondering where I am."

…

Princess Zelda raised her arms high above her head until the muscles in her back stretched after an eternity in one position. She then bent down, touching her toes without the constrictions of a corset, bandaged leg hidden behind her braies – despite how unladylike the idea was to wear something other than her chemise. She began to roll her joints: wrist, elbows, and then shoulders, barely listening to the men on the other side of her changing screen.

"There's no other information on the shadows?" Shad was sitting at her desk, pen and parchment in hand. Alger was beside him, she could see his lanky figure against the candle light.

Impaz, still acting as nursemaid grumbled, "She's told you the same thing three times Historian."

He sighed, "I know, it's just I want to be as accurate as possible with these recounts, Miss Impaz."

"That's not what I'm here for," Alger spat, Zelda rolled her eyes to mimic his actions like a child, using the momentum to move her head in circles. "Did you or did you not find King Daphnes?"

Zelda paused.

"Well?!"

"No." She resumed her light exercise, "But if he wishes to be found then that man will do so."

"Oh don't act like you aren't so smug that he isn't here to challenge your position," He began to peck at the flesh behind his neck with his fingers in worry.

"Sir Shad," the princess rubbed the sore stitches softly, "Do you know where Sir Link is?"

Alger huffed. The scholar spoke alongside his quill's scratches. "Ashei created a really basic training ground in the cemetery. He's spent most of his days out there."

Impaz gave a roaring chuckle. "And don't you worry about the location Your Majesty, only Sheikah and Zora royalty are allowed to be buried there, and I gave Ashei the okay to put a practice dummy only on my grave plot."

The morbid humor was...well, morbid, earning only awkward silences and uncomfortable smiles.

Zelda on the other hand was lost within her own thought, reaching up to touch the ghosting feeling of his wet lips on hers. Such an amazing moment made her so sad with his newfound distance – she had no idea what it meant, for anytime her mind developed a theory she quickly threw it out before building up any hope she had left. It had to have meant something, but _what_ was still a mystery. "I see." was all she managed.

Impaz interpreted the silence, and commanded, "Out. The Princess must rest now." As the men were led out, Zelda exited her confine of the screen and sat at her desk, pondering. The elderly Sheikah waddled to her and patted the rosy knee of the melancholy monarch.

"You really handled yourself out there," Impaz spoke softly, "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you Impaz. " Princess Zelda played with the candle flame.

"Something bothering you?"

The King of Darkness had her kingdom hostage, creatures able to mimic people of light are rampant, she is tasked with finding three goddesses without any clues, and the man she loved more than herself is avoiding her. "I am fine." She conjured a sound face, but it did not work, Impaz had doubts. But before she could voice them, a small knock came from the door.

Zelda's stomach was in knots that relaxed only when Naru's big blue eyes came into view. She was frowning, still shaken by her absence. Impaz parted with, "Sleep tight Princess." Naru practically ran into the room with a thin feathered pillow in hand, and plopped it on the floor.

The princess rose a brow in confusion.

"It's okay, Big Brother and I slept on the floor all the time in Ordon." Naru assured.

"That is not the cause of my wonder, little one."

"Oh," she punched the pillow, "The spirits told me something. They said that mark is evil."

Zelda nodded solemnly, "That is true."

"So I'm here to try and balance it. Just like you said." The small girl pulled out her gold lyre from under Zelda's bed (why it was there was a mystery in itself) and began to strum.

There was no use arguing with a kid convinced with the way the universe functions, and in all honesty, she felt honored to hear her words taken. Princess Zelda allowed it, crawling under her covers and trying to find a comfortable spot without putting too much weight on one wound.

"Play me a song, will you?" The princess requested.

Naru beamed, "Okay! How about the one you taught me!" Her small fingers were slow to pluck each string, and although she mis-strummed here and there, the melody was very much recognizable. It soothed her, returned her to a simpler time in the arms of her grandmother, to the moment her eyes gazed into her Hero's for the first time after years of loneliness. She settled, and fell comfortably asleep to the sound of her own lullaby.

…

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere._

 _However, she sees with difficulty through eyes made of wounds a place once familiar now a stranger. A shadow stands beside its King, bickering like flames on a dying ember, one trying to control the other. The disagreement ends when the voices of a trio begins._

 _They are familiar old serpents, speaking of an allyship with the superior God. One with the same lust for blood, they crave dominion rather than petty liberation. She knew these women who gave so easily into the strongest opponent._

 _The offered in an eerie unison. "We will enter Kakariko and gather followers who shall be baptized in darkness." She does not know how, but she knows what horrors will be done to those who go – she can feel the pain and emptiness. The eye closes and she is alone, a ball of morning spring sunlight shooting toward her. It is green as summer trees, and it passes through before disappearing._

 _There's a twinge of pain, and looking down, blood covers her abdomen whilst a new man stands in front of her, crying out her name. She loves him, but her blood drips from his blade. And as the droplets hit the floor, they form the Triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light._

…

Blood. Thick and sticky blood covers her face and body, her flesh bubbles with it as she panics, casting away her sheets, and reaching to light her candle to starve off the darkness that wished to consume her. Her room is filled with it, and she sees the sweat glisten over her. She is relieved if not embarrassed, unwilling to return back to those curious nightmares. It was as if she was being shown what the lieutenant wanted her to see in some strange expression of, "You may know what to expect but that won't stop me." If she saw them, could they in turn see her?

She shuttered the possibility away. _The oracles_ … she thought of the traitors and cursed them, preparing to hurry and tell Council Nohansen their plan as soon as she could. Kicking her legs over and off the bed she paused, finally able to summon her estoc and placing the tip of her blade a mere inch away from her intruder's face. She immediately dropped it when she noticed the sandiness of his hair, and green of his tunic as he sat, arms crossed and swaying like branches caught in a breeze. Link was very much asleep in her room, head hanging down and unsheathed blade across his lap.

He was protecting her while she slept.

The idea made her warm and at ease, even when a slight snore escaped him. She yearned to reach out and touch him, but wished for him to remain content and dreaming. That was until she remembered her dream.

"Link!" She grabbed his arms and shook him, "You must wake up."

He opened his eyes with a fright and held her arms to check for any injury. He was disorientated so she was quick to explain.

"The oracles. The three oracles are on their way to Kakariko as we speak. We mustn't let them in!"

Link closed his eyes when he saw she was in only her underclothes and bandages, he made a sound questioning how she knew any of this was happening. Quickly she scooped up her dresses and ran to the changing screen.

"Another premonition," she shouted, "I am unsure if they are aware of this, but the mark they gave to me, it is like a looking glass into their affairs, but only for short periods."

She could not see his reaction but imagined it was negative. "The oracles are coming to take people away, back to Castle Town."

There was a commotion outside, people were shouting and moving about. She heard them say, "The oracles are here." "Does that mean it's safe to return home?" "Hylia's graces!"

Zelda cursed and moved faster, running to open her door and dart outside, Link chasing after her as Naru barely awoke. She pushed past people huddled up and blocking the door too afraid to step outside but unwilling to miss the morning's gossip. They let her through into the valley, early morning sunshine only seen on the tops of red mountains, leaving the town in a cold shadow. The refugees watched them from windows and rooftops, some even lined the streets to watch them walk in bewilderment toward the Princess.

The three small women wore their silk robes and overly lavish jewelry, smirking at the various Virgins who eyed them with the same level of impertinence.

"Princess Zelda of Hyrule," they greeted in false respect, "May the Gods smile upon–"

"You are not welcome here." Her voice was laced with scorn and expression solid. The people gasped and whispered among themselves, perplexed about what was unfolding.

"Now Your Highness, do not be rash, it is very unlike you." They feigned offense, "We came to help you."

"We do not need your help, nor did we ask for it."

Council Nohansen exited the Sanctuary in bewilderment. "What's going on?" Renado asked.

"Ah Shaman Renado, pleasure. We have come from within Hyrule Castle to assure you that all is well. Yes there has been an invasion, but we have been successful in driving the enemy out and slowly rebuilding our great nation." They smiled.

Princess Zelda shook her head. "They lie. You shall not abuse my people's tragedies as means of propaganda. We are fine."

They chuckled loudly against the silence of the canyon. "You say you are fine but look at you, bandaged like a corpse and your people cooped up into crumbling shacks like chickens for the slaughter."

"We may not have much, but what we lack in comfort we make up for in community. The Eldin Virgins have made crops for our people, our warriors assure that everyone will be given the right to defend themselves. What will you offer that we cannot?" She saw people nod in her peripheral, some even verbally agreeing.

The oracles paused. "Strong leadership... Did you know your Princess suffers from warrior's heart?" Zelda tried to interrupt but they only spoke louder, "That she'll spend minutes upon hours simply staring at a blank wall in a trance with no control? Do you really wish someone as broken as a farming horse to lead you?"

"I think it's about time you leave." Link stood in front of Zelda, challenging them dangerously. The false prophets stepped down, and waved their arm at him.

"We have overstayed our welcome then, alright. But before we leave, we must implore any of you to consider joining us."

"You can not–" Zelda was stopped.

"Whether they stay here or not is not your decision. They are their own keeper." The oracles smirked.

Princess Zelda scanned the crowds that appeared divided, unsure and even considering. Alger muttered his disdain for the women, the Council secure in their decision, but when the first person stepped forward – a man with his wife and small children trailing behind – Zelda's heart broke. They turned to her, but refused to look into the icy sorrow of her eyes.

"Very good, don't be shy. This is a responsible choice for your family." They coaxed as more and more people began to gather. Many were Hylian and human noble alike, uncomfortable with struggle. She shook her head in disbelief when a quarter of her population was rounded up like cattle for the slaughter – she had broken her promise, she could not save them.

"Anyone else?" They called. "No? Oka–"

"Wait!" Cried a familiar voice, amber curls bouncing as her bandana slipped off her head. She ran to them with a child in her grasp, but he struggled against her. "Ocus please, let's go home!"

The child shook his head and she grew more frightened, tears in her eyes as she tried to get her nephew to come. Princess Zelda walked up to her, hurt and flummoxed. "Miss Owen…" She breathed, the young woman looked to the royal with tears in her eyes, and shamefully she let Ocus go, running into the crowd of people to avoid bad looks. Ocus cried as well, calling for his aunt to come back and stay with him, but she did not. Uli came to comfort him and take him away from such a sight.

"Very well then. We are off." The lambs followed the wolves to the gates of Kakariko and left without a word, taking a piece of Zelda with them. The remaining citizens mumbled in sounds that didn't seem like words. Earl Kemp tried to stay positive by saying, "Less mouths to feed, I suppose."

"That's not funny." Telma scolded, trying to place her hand on Zelda's shoulder until Link beat her to it. The princess didn't process the gentle touch, only stared out at the footprints they left behind. Another fear now a reality. How could she expect to keep together a kingdom that is already falling apart at the seams? Her fists clenched in a boiling rage as the ghosts of the pasted mocked her once again. Failure, failure, failure.

"W-What will happen to them?" An elderly woman asked no one in particular.

But Zelda answered, she spoke so clearly without any regard for who heard because she was alone in this uncontrollable feeling of rage and sadness. " They are going to be killed." The crowd gasped in fear, panicking as the Princess began to scratch at the veins on her neck. Link was quick to grab her, wrapping her arms in his hug so she could not reach up, making her feel the pain without punishing it. She mustn't prove those banshees right!

"There's nothing to fear. We need to stay strong especially now. Faith and courage is all we need to survive." He shouted out to them with Zelda still in his arms, relaxing and allowing her ghosts to depart once more. She released herself from him, and turned to face her people.

"H-He is right...We are Hyruleans, perseverant and independent. We are not alone."

A perturbed citizen disagreed and shouted, "Oh yeah, is that so? If the Goddesses cared so much about us then why are we like this?"

"No one promised life was going to be easy when it was granted to us. But they gave us a fighting chance," Link removed his riding glove and showed the birthmark on his hand – Zelda doing the same, "If you do not believe in them, believe in us."

A majority were pleased by this response, but not all. They continued to chatter, and looking back Princess Zelda saw a herd of Gorons coming from down the mountain, supplies over their shoulders. The people were shocked as the rock people began to fix buildings and set up shops, Gor Ebizo leading them with pipe in his hand.

He was an ancient artifact to these people, old as Death Mountain herself. Long grainy strands of rock made his hair, and his indigo eyes gleamed with lucidity. As the crowd watched the Gorons help and greet Shaman Renado happily, there was ease. He spoke with an air of security as he said, "If you don't believe in the Hero of Twilight, or Hylia reincarnate, then believe in a child." Gor Ebizo pointed to Naru who tried to avoid the lost stares of the population. "Note the last time Hyrule was in crisis, pride nearly lead to extinction, it is okay to take aid from those good-willed even if you don't believe it."

Naru was still the center of attention, and she looked to Zelda for assistance. The Goron continued, "It's okay child, I can see your true form."

"What he means by that is innocence is all we need, to act and think with fresh minds in order to succeed. No past prejudice will aid us." She tried to cover up, but Gor Ebizo would not let her.

"Raise your mark child." He commanded Naru, the crowd quickly flipping to stare at her in disbelief. She cradled her hand to her chest while frantically trying to escape their glares, but they just watched her as if she were a rare beast. Zelda moved to interfere but the Goron stopped her, guiding her toward Naru slowly, and motioning her to kneel.

Naru looked to Zelda for guidance, fearful of the people crowding around her. "Give them a reason to have faith," He whispered to the apprehensive monarch. Anxious eyes waited as she reached up to hold Naru's hand in her own, nodding to comfort her.

"It is alright little one. You need not worry, we can not keep this secret forever." She smiled, and uncovered the tan triangle against a pale hand. The crowd gasped and spoke amongst one another, some even began to shout in anger.

"This is Nayru born in mortal flesh – cast down from the heavens by our forsaking hearts to learn of mortal woes."

"A child?!" They would cry, "A child is supposed to be our patron of wisdom?!" They looked at her with a glimmer of skepticism.

"Yeah!" Naru shouted back in frustration, "I am!"

Zelda stopped her as her little cheeks became rosy. "We do not know why the Goddess chose this form, but they had a reason. Naru is still learning her abilities with me as her guide. If you cannot believe in her, believe in me who believes in her."

She couldn't read the many faces. Each person seemed to have a different expression, different uninspiring opinions on this development, and she couldn't seem to change them. Zelda looked away, uncomfortable with their apparent disappointment. Impaz cleared her throat.

"That's all everyone," she snapped, "We have a village to fix."

Rusl rounded a group of men with a holler of, "We need more security at the gate!"

Ashei waved, "Sparring classes are still in session!"

Elric and Ilia jumped in, "Commerce with the Gorons is official!"

The crowd was spreading thin as normality returned – or at least what was left of it. The families who were separated by the oracles were ushered by Telma and Impaz to the Sanctuary where the Virgins followed after. Princess Zelda was once again alone with her thoughts, Naru and Gor Ebizo saying nothing as she lingered in her spot. She hadn't handled the situation as well as she wanted; if anything, she proved her inadequacy as a leader even more. She hated herself for it.

"Well done Princess, you really spoke to them," Alger walked up to her and chuckled in glee. She stared daggers at him.

"Would you have done any better?" Viscount Osmar appeared cross with him, Counselor Fane following in expression.

The wallflower Counselor bowing his head at her said, "You did the best you could, Your Majesty...Give them time to understand."

She was cold to their words; she really wished she wasn't so upset. "How did you know about Naru? About the Goddesses?" She questioned the old Goron, ignoring her audience.

He laughed with his long drooping lips and pipe. "I saw these girls in a dream….If you don't move quickly, they will be tainted before long."

Her blood chilled. "What do you mean?"

He paused before wobbling to Malo Mart in a stupor. "He does that." Link assured. Zelda was bothered extremely, so much so that she called on Auru to retrieve the map she had taken from the castle.

Link raised his brows wondering what she was doing with wounds still healing.

"You heard him, we don't have much time, we must find the Master Sword and then these girls." She took the delicate map from her tutor's hands and skimmed over its images.

"Princess, you can't just leave–" Lord Osmar was pushed to the side by a loud Naru.

"I'm coming too!" Naru announced, Link immediately disagreeing. She growled, "I can't leave the princess until that wound is healed!"

There was no way Link could argue that.

"Shaman Renado shall be my proxy until we arrive, make a note of that Alger." Zelda dropped to one knee and held up a finger. "Listen very carefully little one, the Woods may be a sacred place, but that does not mean there are not dangers. Stay with either me or big brother at all times, is that understood?"

Naru raised up her slingshot to prove a point.

"Is that understood?" Zelda repeated.

"Yes Your majesty."

"Good." Princess Zelda turned to Link as he picked Naru up into his arms. "Are you ready?"

He wasn't, nor was he sure it would be safe for Zelda to travel just yet, but she was determined. He would help her no matter the issue. She nodded back at him, and closed her eyes, envisioning the picture on the map, the hidden temple now deep with the forest. She saw its name in her grandmother's writing, and begged Farore to deliver them safely to the Temple of Time. The winds picked up, and they were lifted into the air. But as they traveled the winds, the blasphemous mark flared up in pain on her leg, and without her control they were separated, falling into the unknown.

* * *

 **So this story is officially 1 year old :O Thank you all so much for joining me in this journey! As planned I have a little special update opportunity. Originally I posted the prologue on the 26th of December, and then posted the first chapter 1 week later. As much as I would like to do that, I am actually behind one chapter due to power outages, finals, and overall procrastination . BUT I think two weeks will be enough time for me to write till my fingers bleed, and allow my beta enough time to edit without being rushed.  
**

 **Here's what you need to do: If this story can get 10 or more reviews for this chapter (making the total 72) , I will update on the 10th of January AS WELL as the end of January :D That means TWO chapters for January! How exciting! What a great way to start the new years! ^^**

 **How has this story improved if at all? What made you laugh what made you cry? Do you like cupcakes? Anything you'd like!**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **ken. nuhfer, Kookiri, Skydragon74193, Effervescent, Onlyinitforthestories2, TheLastApollo, Lollie T. M., Supreme Bookworm, James Birdsong, Ripple, Generala, and Guest**

 **In response to the previous question character growth both Ripple and Generala saw growth in her character, Ripple even adds that Link's influence may play a role in it even if she has much more growing to do. Awesome you guys! Lollie T. M, you flattering darling you, appreciates the use of "Dark" as an alias for "Dark Link" and I must say I agree with her in that Dark Link is too cringy to write down as something they call a person. Makes me think of a telenovela cx And to hear I inspired her to pick up on her own story is the most amazing thing I have ever heard, thank you so much once again doll for sharing that. All the power to you!**

 **Well, I guess here's some food for thought: Is Naru a good child character? My least favorite thing in literature is how children are written, they are either super cliched and dumbed down past their age, or wicked smart past their years. Originally I had planned this story to use a teenage Naru, but as I began to plan, having a teenager so close to people in their early or mid twenties just felt WAY too close in age. So I rewrote her as a child as a sort of juxtaposition to her gift. I find children to be annoying on paper for reasons said above, so I tried to make her seem more like the children I teach at my karate studio. They're between the ages of 7 and 11, and are really a lot smarter than we give them credit for, so I tried implementing that with Naru. What do you think, is she annoying, cute, or just kinda there?  
**

 **My editor who works so hard: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Okay that's enough out of me, this is by far the longest chapter with the longest authors note. From Sunny and I, thank you for being here with us, and See you all soon, don't forget to R &R!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Hello my lovelies! I haven't posted...in a year :D (that joke still isn't funny)**

 **Let's go!**

* * *

One moment she was the flying like a bird, the next falling like an acorn until she splashed into chilly water like a duck. Naru was quick to hold her breath the moment the pond reached her

elbow, but panicked when the bubbles hid the surface. She struggled to swim upwards, BigBrother never let her swim in deep water – but she eventually felt a firm edge. She pulled herself up with a loud gasp, coughing while she crawled on the soft grass.

Naru shivered when a small wind brushed by, and whimpered at the cold. Looking up, she searched for Big Brother and the Princess, but they were missing. She grew worried.

"Big Brother!" She shouted toward the birdies that flew away in fear.

"Princess Zelda!" She responded to herself, sitting criss-cross applesauce and grabbing her arms. They weren't around.

Naru huffed and looked up at the sky, wondering what happened. In her state of questions, the sound of something falling into water grabbed her attention. Turning back to the pond, her slingshot floated like a piece of bread. She picked it up thankfully, drawing it when she heard rustling behind a bush. Naru – the Spider Slayer – could take on anything.

"Hello?" She tried calling out again, scanning across the pretty greens and plants within the forest. It reminded her of her old home within a tree, the place she missed most – she played back the memory of it burning like a bonfire and frowned. This mixed like a bad soup with her loneliness and created a strong emotion she struggled to deal with. She'd never been lost before, especially not in a place like this. She couldn't contain this strange feeling and allowed herself to cry, hoping maybe her Big Brother would hear and come running for her.

Salty tears made her throat dry, and a quivering lip made her muscles sore. She cried to herself, tracing the shadows of leaves with her eyes, trying to ignore the scary whispers on the wind. Another bush danced, and she quickly grabbed her slingshot again, grabbing a rock and pointing it.

"Go away!" She commanded it, not really wanting to show how frightened she truly was. The sound of windchimes began, like the one they had on their porch in Ordon. The child dropped her weapon, and watched in great interest as a pretty ball of light jumped up happily.

"Huh?" Naru said, tilting her head to better see the glowing insect. It twinkled toward her, and she recognized it as not being a lightning bug, but a fairy. She smiled.

Sometimes in the early morning, she would steal her Big Brother's butterfly net and try catching the fairies that visited the spring – that was, until Ilia caught her in the act and ended her fun. The creature flew in her face, and she laughed at the nice music it made, following it as it hovered over the pond.

"What are you doing?" She giggled, but was confused when the fairy jumped into the water and disappeared. Naru gasped in shock, crawling on her knees to the edge and leaning in to try and see where her new friend went to. It was gone, but a strange glow came from beneath the surface.

The child pushed the hair out of her eyes to see better, blinking when her reflection became a shining light. It whispered to her with a thousand voices, all telling her to not fear.

"Who are you?" She asked, trying to dip her hand in only to find it was hard like a mirror.

"The Mother of Order and Wisdom…" They responded, "Nayru…"

Her eyes widened. "You're the Goddess Nayru? Can I see you?"

She hoped the spirit was really Nayru, that way people didn't rely on her. She was disappointed when the glow showed her reflection as an answer – the spirit was talking about her, not to her.

"Why me." She sighed.

"You can save them…" The voices sang, and Naru was interested. "They need you…"

"How?" She asked, begging for an answer.

Her reflection glowed with comfort and then disappeared, leaving her to stare at the water and experience a wave of understanding beyond her imagination.

…

His limbs ached as he tried to shimmy his way out of the large pokey bush that broke his fall. He grunted and struggled as the branches scraped him until finally breaking free, standing in the middle of the grove and dusting himself off. The howling wind whistled through the three pathways along the bumpy walls like a flute. He eyed them cautiously, listening for the trumpet-playing splinter that bothered him last time.

Link's boots crunched on twigs as he turned to scan the area, searching for the smooth indents of footprints to try and find his companions. Zelda crossed through his mind, and then Naru – he needed to find them fast. He sniffed into the air when a familiar scent wafted past him; roses and steel. He knew that smell better than anyone, and followed it to a replica of the last grove. He kept looking until a snap grabbed his attention, and he drew his dull blade at the approaching enemy.

Princess Zelda smiled warmly at him, and he quickly sheathed his blade with a loud sigh to apologize, looking over her creamy skin for new wounds. She stayed silent, but he gladly walked toward her – that was until her plush lips fell into a hard frown at something behind him.

"Link." A voice cooed, filling him with the undeniable urge to run toward it. Turning he saw, unable to believe his eyes, a radiant Midna with a slender arm reaching out to him. She giggled, "Has my beauty rendered you speechless?" He remembered that phrase, and he wanted to reach her but couldn't bring himself to do it.

A crippling scream pulled his attention to Zelda only to see her skirts and flesh torn in various places, now barely clothed behind these ripped rags as that bastard shadow held a knife to her throat. His doppleganger challenged him as he ran his hands all over her exposed body, rubbing and grabbing, making her cry and beg, "Hero please!" Her blood fueled the fire that raged within him as the creature molested her, and he drew his sword with a growl.

As he ran, Midna shouted, "Link!" and he glanced back at the tear escaping her right eye, but Zelda's whimpers stabbed him painfully. He turned away, and just as he did, he saw Midna shatter into a million mirror pieces. His shadow moved with surprising speed as he dragged Zelda through a cave he sliced the spot below her belly-button slightly. Link followed after them, determined to save her.

…

Her head throbbed in unison with her leg as an orchestra of pain throughout her body. She lay in a puddle of water surrounded by tall trees and judgmental birds. They shouted for her to get up, but the ray of light that rained just above her head hurt her eyes. Princess Zelda groaned, grabbing her cranium with a soggy hand and cursing herself, "What could have possibly led to this?"

She raised her skirt to rub the bandage and groan, "You did something to my magic." Maybe that was good, that meant the evil symbol was frightened of something, but she'd rather not break her neck in the process. A cold sweat washed over her when she noticed she was alone.

"Link?" She called out, "Naru?"

No response.

The map drifted down from above and she swiftly caught it, folding it and putting it away. The reflection of the ground (which she discovered was covered in thin water like a large puddle) danced on the wall made of vine just like the sparkle of a dancer's necklace. Blues and greens invaded her vision, the woods holding a blurry film as far too much light softened every hard line and corner. No wonder people got lost traveling through here.

"Your Highness." A voice called, and standing, Zelda saw a woman in the distance, her back to her. Her fiery red locks burned her eyes with the intense colors around her, but the princess was familiar with the traitorous form.

"Miss Owen...What are you–"

She turned to face the confused monarch, and earned a sound of total displeasure from the usually stoic individual. Zelda was both lost and hurt by the image: Midna in all her incomparable beauty holding in her arms a bundle of cloth. A small chubby hand reached up and a tiny voice giggled as Link appeared to stand beside her, smiling at the infant.

The princess took a step back, unbelieving of what was before her, chest empty and in pain. Her boiling blood filled the void that was punched into her, and that voice insisted, _Say it._

The secret wish she made, the terrible mental request to the Gods escaped her lips for the first time. Finally, after four years, she said how she felt deep within the shadow of her heart during that farewell. She cursed her best friend by saying, "I hope you can never come back and ruin what I want!"

She continued to fume, well aware how selfish and jealous that sounded, how it felt, but the voice saluted her. _Yes, fight for what is rightly yours. He would always go after her if he had the choice, make sure that doesn't happen._

But she didn't feel any more secure, just watching them laugh and smile with their child. She didn't hate her, no matter how heartbroken she became, Midna was her friend.

 _You don't need friends._ The voice insisted.

Midna's vow to see him later haunted her – that kiss would mean nothing, wouldn't it? Princess Zelda shook her head and closed her eyes, the loud thuds of bodies falling from the sky reawakening her. She screamed at the opened-eyed corpses that crowded her, choking on air as her veins burned at the faces of friends and compatriots around her. Dark chuckled beside her, causing her to crumble within herself as he repeated, "I know his thoughts and emotions, and you will always be his second choice."

The bodies shouted out with him, "Weak! Weak! Weak!"

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, the princess fell to her knees, covering her ears and bumping her head on the ground to try and silence the voices. She slammed her eyes shut to avoid the ogles that ripped her apart, she had to keep them out. She growled as fear took over her body and regret filled her blood. If she hit her head hard enough, she would go unconscious and stop everything for a moment, the feeling, the voices, complete peace.

Had she been in a better state of mind, she would have noticed the figure that dashed into where she was crumbling – and if the character pursued a higher education, he would have known that she was praying for peace in an ancient dialect. Two strong arms encompassed her, leaning back and rocking as the bodies and figures were washed away with a blinding light that baptised her eyes and left her seeing anew. The woods were a lot more muted and dark, a single hue of green in shades rather than vibrancy.

"I saw terrible things too." Link assured, holding her just as desperately as she did him, still shaken. She wanted to know what he saw, but knew that would entail him returning the question which she would not answer. She enjoyed his warmth and comfort but was unable to ignore what she saw.

"We must find the Master Sword immediately." She said between gasps, pushing away from him and gathering herself up.

He nodded in agreement, just as eager to leave as she.

"Where is–" Before finishing her question, splashing erupted behind them, and Naru stared at the pair with a large grin on her face.

"I found you!" She jumped, glad to be reunited with her party.

"We are all accounted for then," She sighed a breath of relief. "I am truly sorry. I must have been too weak when beginning the incantation, and the mark, it–"

Link interrupted her, seeming unwilling to hear mention of the wound. "I never had visions like this before."

Naru replied, "Yeah but you were following that Skull Kid last time. Maybe he took you through different parts of the woods."

"Whatever it was is unimportant, we have a mission to see completed." Princess Zelda reached down her chemise to retrieve the map, unrolling it. But before she would run her eyes over the aged parchment, a trumpet's cry and confetti of leaves surprised the princess, and a small cyanotic hand snatched it from her grasp before disappearing. She gasped as the creature reappeared high on a tree branch, giggling like a small child with large unfocused scarlet eyes and a toothy cheshire grin. It unnerved her as it watched them, waiting for some reaction.

"Return that to me, please." Princess Zelda pleaded, staying civilized.

It had other plans, and disappeared with a taunting laugh.

"Come back!" She cried out, Link shaking his head in recognition of the aggravating thing. He assured her they weren't getting that map back, at least not without playing its game.

"We do not have time for something like that." She growled.

"Hey," Naru tugged on Zelda's damp skirts while pointing to a nearby shrub, "There's someone hiding."

Link pushed them to stand behind him, raising his shield up as it began to rustle. Zelda caught Naru reaching into the sack she had tied to her sash and loaded her slingshot with a brown seed.

"Come out coward!" She shouted before releasing the ammunition into the air and earning a sound of shock from her brother.

"Ow!" A small voice cried, still choosing to hide.

"You have five seconds!" Naru shouted back, readying another fire.

Zelda and Link scolded the rambunctious child with harsh noises. The Hero knelt down and soothingly assured, "Come on out. We won't hurt you."

A quiet feminine voice responded in a perpetual whisper, "No more seeds, please."

Zelda felt him smile, "Deal."

There was a moment of silence before the bush bustled again, and a girl's head appeared from behind leaves slowly, unsure of the safety in her situation. Small pink lips were pulled into a nervous frown on her olive-skinned face as she scanned the area with almond eyes the shade of fresh basil. On the bridge of her button nose was a pair of thin glasses that clung to her pointed ears. The Hylian girl watched them while playing with a short strand of thyme-colored locks that curled upwards slightly at mid-neck length, a large pink flower tucked neatly between each ear.

She looked threatened and afraid, but when the reflection of her spectacles were filled with the smiling image of Link and his welcoming eyes, her mouth opened and she relaxed. The girl stepped fully out from her hiding spot, body just budding into womanhood in a knee-length dress and apron, browns, yellows, and greens all around. She must've been no older than twelve, thin and shy, with a basket filled with herbs and nuts in hand. She walked toward Link cautiously, free hand touching her chest as she dipped her head down but looked up at him.

"There you go, no need to be scared." Link soothed.

"I-I…" She tried to find her voice, "I have seen you before."

The party exchanged glances.

"I-In my dreams…" She blushed and looked away, about ready to run back to her bush.

Princess Zelda walked to stand beside Link, the girl reaching her chest in height. "Who are you?"

The Hylian preteen saw the glistening crown and bowed her head. "My name is...Fuana, Your Majesty."

"Rise Fuana." Zelda eyed the spiritual stone's design on her apron curiously. Naru cleared her throat and pointed her eyes as Fuana's hand gripped the basket handle for dear life.

Link raised a brow at her. "What's a kid doing here?"

"I was picking herbs." She quickly responded, losing herself in his eyes, unknowingly reaching up to touch his face.

Link's eyes widened as she did so, and noticed the same thing Zelda did. On the back of her left hand were roads of varicose veins similar to that of Naru, thick and red. The Princess smiled at the small crush the child seemed to have for the Hero, but couldn't ignore the possibility that these dreams were a premonition – a connection similar to that of her and Naru. This child must have been Farore reborn, but she needed to be sure. The whole possibility made her giddy with hope and excitement, the Gods blessed their misfortune.

"Fuana, do you know who I am?" Princess Zelda asked.

The child looked up and nodded. "You are Princess Zelda the Seventeenth."

The monarch shook her head, but was genuinely surprised. "She had died many years ago. I am her granddaughter; the Eighteenth."

Fuana's mouth became an 'o' as she appeared to make mental notes and file this new knowledge, whispering methodically to herself. "How curious," she said, "This is interesting information, Papa would like to know this."

"You have a father?" Naru asked, but Fuana was too frightened of her to answer.

"Have you seen the sword within these woods?" Zelda crossed her arms.

Fuana nodded. "B-But you won't be able to find it just yet."

Link frowned, wondering why not.

"Y-You three have all seen things, either of fear or wonder. That means the woods do not t-trust you."

The princess tilted her head, "And they do you?"

"I-I have him." She looked behind the party to the infamous Skull Kid who danced in stupid joy. "He is my friend, and guides me through these woods."

Zelda glared daggers at the creature who spanked himself in her direction. The lack of manners was disgusting. "May you ask him to lead us as well?"

Fuana's eyes widened in fear. "I-It's getting too late for that!"

"But it is barely mid-morning?"

The nymphetic child took a step back. "The woods follow their own realm of time. What is morning here is night in the grove. I-I can take you home to Papa if you would like to wait until he gives us p-permission."

"What do you think?" The Princess looked to her companions for their opinions. Neither argued, and following behind the child they went. Naru was quick to run forward and try to talk to her senior, but Fuana was stiff beside the village girl.

Link and Zelda stood side by side, silent and awkward in this moment of peace. Would now be a reasonable moment to ask about the kiss? Maybe not, maybe never. "What did you see?" He asked her, brows furrowed in concern.

Her stomach flipped while she bit the inside of her cheek. "Hyrule castle burning," she lied, guilt crawling up her spine like a winter chill. No one dare need to know the sin within her ill wishings. He hadn't seemed to really acknowledge what she said, too focused on her face it seemed, torment behind his eyes as he saw something she couldn't see. Whatever his hallucination, it left him feeling vulnerable and scared, but he made no effort to share. She wished he would have alleviated whatever pain he was feeling onto her, but they were far too similar in attitude to do such a thing.

"What did you see?" She decided to ask, only causing his eyes to widen more before jumping down to stare at her hand as if he hadn't seen one before. Slowly, but with desperation – as if afraid she would disappear if he moved too fast – he placed his hand within hers and locked his fingers into a warm embrace. He softened in relief, but the Princess shot with a tingle of emotions, unsure what to do about this gesture. Her face flared in pink, but she tried not to look surprised as he held her hand in a daze. Once his eyes met hers, they jumped out of his skull as they both pulled away and looked to the side, faces steaming and heads dizzy.

Just another thing to add on her list of confusion – what had that meant?! She stole another glance and sighed to herself. She would do about anything for that man, and she hoped – no, she _felt_ he would do the same. There was no way to describe the feelings he stirred within her, because in a strange way, he made her feel like all accusations of her being some antagonist held some truth, for he was a paradigm of all things good and she – she was nothing like him. But he made her want to strive for that change, to better herself, and she truly felt she was making way...And the way he cried, so vulnerable so easily despite how courageous he was expected to be. Was it as difficult to open up to others for him as it was for her?

What made him think she was special, that she deserved such a private expression?

She couldn't stop staring, just studying the curve of his jaw or the way his steel earrings peeked behind thick strands. She had allowed herself to sink too far into the abyss of lo– she dare not say it, but she knew she felt its dangerous snare gripping her heart and soul. She was being dragged deeper and deeper into it, and it frightened her, for feelings of this severity only came in bouts of anger or sadness. It was too good to be true, too pure for her to feel and that's what made it all the more amazing!

 _But what if he didn't feel the same?_

Doubt is so powerful it can destroy Kingdoms, and all she had were pipe dreams and doubt. She stiffened and limbs moved like mechanical pieces of a machine. She looked back at him in longing. It really was just a hope.

Fuana gave a sharp cry and the two adult stepped forward to try and help, only to see she was frightened by a white rabbit that crossed their paths.

"I am beginning to question if this truly is Farore reborn, or the Gods' sense of humor." Zelda sighed.

"For the Goddess of Courage she is...kind of a coward." Link added.

"And we have a child to be wise. Hylia help us all."

…

The party followed Fuana willingly through caves and grottos, but Zelda couldn't silence the nagging distrust that bit at her when Skull Kid appeared, leading the girl. She half-expected him to be talking them to their death like the trickster he was – mischief and mayhem fell off him like the leaves of his attire. Sometimes the little creature would appear walking beside Fuana, earning a loud gasp each time he was in and out of existence, and would place in her basket a variety of nuts and plants. He was helping her for some reason.

"What do you know about that creature?" She asked Link who watched tensely as Naru started yelling to try and get Fuana to respond. He shrugged his shoulders, not knowing anything past its ability to summon ghastly wooden puppets – which were following them as well per Skull Kid's command. It was very unnerving.

"Nothing weird has ever happened to you?!" Naru groaned, not believing a word from her elder's mouth.

Sweat started to form on Fuana's brow as she saw the child as a small wolverine rather than a girl. "N-No…"

"Naru." Zelda's tone was dangerous. As comedic as it was to see her take the role as an evangelist trying her hardest to give her the same epiphany, the use of force was going to get them nowhere. They needed to be certain first.

The child blushed. "I'm Naru by the way," She tried a softer tactic, "And that's my big brother, Link."

The princess felt the heat radiate off her as she whispered, "I know…" Fuana looked back to Link with a red face but continued at a quicker pace. Link gasped as he moved faster to catch up with her. Zelda chuckled, running her fingers over her palm where they were once connected. It felt so intimate and strange. She had held hands with her grandmother as a child, and once more with herself when trying to replicate a scene from a fairytale she was told – neither were so...electrifying. She missed his warmth, the way their heartbeats seemed to join in sync and security hugged her. He acted as if it hadn't happened, and she was beginning to question it as well. Had any of it, or was her grasp on reality slipping between her fingertips and this was all a dream?

This made her nervous.

Skull Kid giggled inches from her face, and when she did not respond with fright or surprise, he grew nervous. She gave him a cold stare, and he pulled a roll of paper out from his hand. It was a fake map, he had done this trick before, so he left, disappointed by her lack of reaction.

"H-He is very lonely." Fuana explained before pointing ahead. "We are here."

There was a wall made of a thick tree trunk practically melted to the ground with no way around its impenetrable barricade. Fuana was about ready to walk into the wall had it not been for its misty facade evaporating away into the mouth of a tunnel to a very isolated grove. She eyed everything cautiously, Link doing the same and pulling Naru back. There was a cottage made of wood now mated with the thick vegetation that made it a creation of man and nature. The underbrush allowed a slight trail of dirt to the door of the cottage, if you could call it that, what with all the holes covered in flowers. White smoke traveled out its chimney up into the sunny sky obscured behind tents of trees. Light shimmered down in pockets, and she was surprised someone was actually living in a place like this.

"Papa I am home!" Fuana rushed to the door and pulled on bell strings. Skull Kid and his legion of puppets were gone thankfully, but their unease remained.

Link looked at the girl, unsure if she really was a goddess if she had a father. Zelda whispered to him, "Naru refers to you as Big Brother, no? We must find out if he is her biological father yes, but I wouldn't be surprised to find he isn't"

"I have guests as well." She rung again, and there was a crash from within. She ran to peer into the dusty window in fear.

"G-Guests?!" An elderly voice stuttered from within, unpleased with the knowledge. There was rummaging and a bit more crashes before the door knob struggled to open. "W-Who are they – Why are they here?" A lanky man dribbled out from behind the door and shut it firmly behind him, looking at the party in distrust. He wore similar spectacles as Fuana, his disheveled blonde locks twisting and curling with the roots he used to fortify their frames. He had a natural hunch in his back, like his spine was a candy-cane, and donned a similar uniform of brown-embroidered apron as his daughter who watched him in concern.

"Papa, the royal family has visited us." Fuana touched his arm in a gesture of equal concern. With a long wrinkled finger he fixed his glasses and squinted at the princess with jade colored pools glossed over in the first stages of cataracts. Save for the attire and them both being Hylian – they did not look related.

"Princess Zelda, is that you?" he gasped in disbelief.

She raised a brow, "Have we met?"

He crossed his arms. "You don't remember your ex-Lead Scientist? You pitched a fit when I left the college, but then again, age curses us all. It's nearly taken my sight, yet it seems you haven't aged a day, albeit your hair has gotten drastically darker – I pray you haven't begun using dyes, they are so terrible for your health."

He proceeded to ramble on using words she was unfamiliar with to describe reactions and compounds, Fuana examined diligently and writing notes with each flick of her eyes as she watched him move like a young man again, driven with passion. Fuana was finally able to pull free from the hypnosis and stopped him. "No Papa, this is not the Princess you were acquainted with."

"She's not?" He appeared disappointed.

Zelda shook her head. "No. Thou hast mistaken me for my grandmother, Queen Zelda the Seventeenth."

He stared off thoughtfully with a smile ghosting his lips. "So she really made it as Queen after all...How is she? Well I hope?"

"She is dead." Zelda responded without skipping a beat, "So I would assume she is doing well."

He frowned deeply. "Oh...To think I'd outlive Her Royal Highness. So who does that make you?"

"I am Princess Zelda the Eighteenth. Daughter of the then Duke and Duchess of Hyrule, and granddaughter of Queen Zelda the Seventeenth." She raised her head and watched them closely as both father and daughter came to grasp her marked hand and placed it against their foreheads – an old tradition, but he seemed out of the times anyways.

"This makes you the Heiress Apparent then? Sole heir when you come to age?" Zelda wanted to correct him and inform of the sour developments, but he continued with a wave of his hand to a very confused Link. "And this must be your Prince Consort! Such a strapping young knight – you Zelda's sure do love your warriors." Link had no idea what that word meant, but Zelda was red as a tomato as he continued to shake both his and Naru's hand. "And a child already! I must say though, I did not think the Hyrule bourgeois would abandon class for youth – she is barefoot! Fascinating!"

"I feel like I should be insulted." Naru scrunched her face.

Princess Zelda stopped him before he continued on another tangent, placing a hand over Link's chest without touching it. "Thou art mistaken. This is not my fiance nor is she my child. This is Sir Link, the Hero of Twilight, and his little sister Naru. Both are Ordonians."

Link and Fuana's faces flared with pink, and the elusive professor made a note in a compact notebook in his pocket.

"Fascinating," He scribbled, "And why the title exactly?"

She approached him slowly. "I suggest another idea. Maybe you answer a few of our questions in exchange for my information from our part?"

"Reasonable enough. Shall we take this inside? Maybe send the girls off for our adult talk?" He offered, rolling up an uncooperative sleeve.

Princess Zelda agreed with the idea. "I do not want Naru running too far though."

"I have a library in the back of the cottage. Fuana, darling, maybe show your little friend the encyclopedia. But do make sure that skull creature doesn't make a mess, you know he steals my test tubes." He groaned.

Fuana beamed and hid behind raised shoulders as she beckoned Naru her way with fae-like eyes. She timidly led her inside, Link and Zelda followed the father through the same door. The home was very cramped and cluttered with only one hallway to the back of the home. The roof was leaking leaves, and a whole branch pierced the back corner used to hold two hammocks. That was where they slept, dangling above scattered books and plantlife. This home was the victim of endless time and nature's perseverance, but they adapted. The invading outside was treated as a friend as he used the artificial shelving to hold tubes and retorts, mortar and pestles, vials of strange liquids and telescopes. Strange writings on stained papers covered walls; star charts, diagrams, and lots of numbers. This was a genius of many fields, she could tell by the sloppy way he organized his mess.

The man of sciences pulled up two seats for Link and Zelda, walking to his table and reaching into Fuana's basket she had left. In due time, he produced two cups and set them on top of an upturned rain bucket, pouring tea into each with a strainer in hand. He brought out what she assumed to be milk as well as lemon and sugar. Link eyed it awkwardly as Zelda began to pour milk and sugar into her black tea and stirred in a back and forth, up-and-down motion, placing the spoon on her saucer once finished.

"Just like your grandmother I see, that warms me." He smiled before snapping a look at Link who stared at the liquid like it was lantern oil. He gasped at the focus, and the scientist scolded, "What are you waiting for, you can't expect a princess to drink a stranger's tea first?!"

She raised her hand, "I really doubt you would try and poison–"

Link struggled to hold the small handle with his large hands but managed to take a painful sip out of pressure, or genuine concern. He was not a fan of tea.

"Good," The elder sighed, "I think the thing I miss most from the castle is tea time. Such an intimate experience." He took Link's cup and filled it with a different, more sweet drink. He sipped the hot chocolate thankfully. "I hate the taste of tea myself though."

Princess Zelda began taking quiet sips. "Thou have yet to give us thine name scientist."

He patted his head and laughed, "Pardon me, where are my manners. I am Professor Edwyn."

"Pleasure," She smoothed her skirts and looked around.

"May I be so bold as to ask why you are in the woods?" He noticed the bandages still worn beneath her pauldrons and gloves.

"We could ask you the same," She took another sip.

"I asked first Your Grace."

She exchanged glances with Link. "We came here by mistake. Our goal was to find the ruins of the Temple of Time known now as the Sacred Grove. Fuana told us we needed to wait until that child of woods gave us permission, thus we are here."

"And why do you need to go there?" His thin brows furrowed.

"It is our question next, Professor," He nodded to allow her to continue, "You said you were part of the Royal College of Science. Why did you leave?"

He rubbed his eyes in thought. "I have always loved knowledge and the race for understanding the world around us, not just in a spiritual sense. The royal college gave me all the supplies, funded all my experiments, but it was only an illusion of freedom. My studies were petty, and supervised by the nobility who wanted my findings to better their image. Facts do not have a philosophy or house – so I left to be alone."

"But why the–" She caught herself, "Very well. Your turn."

"Why were you with my daughter?" His eyes narrowed.

"She found us. We needed a guide and she offered the position. Why do you ask?" Zelda did not like his tone of voice.

He jumped to respond, "She is my daughter, it is my right to know – that counts as a question, my turn again. Why are you bandaged up like a wounded criminal?"

She removed her glove and placed her naked hand on the table, birthmark in plain view. "I am very much who I say I am Professor, and I am being honest to you when I say Hyrule is in danger once again, and these wounds prove it."

He didn't show any form of shock or sadness to hear his kingdom was in pain, he was just puzzled.

"Is Fuana your real daughter?" Zelda refused to look away.

His face reddened in displeasure toward the question, steaming like the cups of tea and stomping his feet. "Of course she is! How rude of you to assume otherwise!"

Link raised up from his seat and held his hands out. "We only ask because there is little to no resemblance."

He puffed and tripped on his own words. "S-She takes after her mother."

"You did not adopt?" Zelda took another sip.

He blinked faster, "N-No! Why would you even think that?"

"That counts as a question Professor, the answer is just as my knight stated before. My turn now," She took it upon herself to pour another cup, "Who was your wife?"

His eyes lowered in a deep grief. "She was an archaeologist. It was her idea to come when we left the college. She died about two decades ago…" A single tear escaped him, and he swiftly cast it aside.

 _That would make Fuana's birth impossible_ , Zelda thought to herself, wondering why he was so keen on lying to her face. She continued to sip her tea as an odd scene misted over her eyes.

…

"N-No, you hold it like this." Fuana quietly corrected, grabbing Naru's hands and cupping them together before setting a glass contrapment between them. "Now hold it real tight – bu-but not too tight!"

Naru did as she was told, and watched in amazement as the liquid at the bottom of the tube looped through twisty tunnels up to the bulb on top. Her jaw unhinged itself in awe. "Did you enchant the glass?"

Fuana shook her head with a stifled glee, taking the item back so the liquid phlightes to the bottom. "It's science. Heat rises you see, s-so the warmth from your hands increased the temperature, which increases pressure and pushed the liquid up to the top through the tubes." She blushed. "I-I hope to get a patent for it when I'm older. That way I can sell them so everyone can learn."

"Why don't you go now?" Naru skimmed through a book with words she couldn't pronounce.

"O-Oh no...The outside world is too d-dangerous." Fuana's face paled and flowers shriveled with her fear.

"What do you mean, it's great!"

The preteen pointed to the slingshot resting in view on Naru's hip. "T-Then why do you carry that with you."

She frowned and crossed her arms, taking a seat on a tall stool so she was eye height with the smart aleck. "That's none of your business."

"Papa says Hyrule is a frightening place."

"It's only as scary as you make it out to be," Naru huffed, "And you shouldn't let your insecurities stop you from making something great!" Fuana put away her invention, and opened an encyclopedia, hiding behind it. The child pulled the tome down and learned in with a toothy grin. "Why don't you come with us! Princess Zelda is really nice, she could get you a pat-thingy."

The flora girl didn't seem interested in the least.

"Link will be there too." She rolled her eyebrows and growled the same way she heard Rusl talk to his wife when he thought no one was nearby. Fuana nearly burned the book with her heat as she hid once more.

"I-I couldn't leave P-Papa." She rushed to say, soft voice cracking as she tried to keep it level.

"Too bad. Big Brother sure does like traveling–" A light bulb flashed in her mind, "You said you'd seen him before in a dream. What did you mean by that?"

Fuana coughed and picked up an even larger book. "I-I...Sometimes I would have a dream about a b-boy that looked like him is all...He'd be working at a ranch, o-or fighting a monster. A voice said his name was L-Link."

Naru jumped up, "And you never thought that was strange!"

"I-It's mere coincidence. The probability of actually meeting someone from your dreams is close to impossible." She set the book down and rationalized.

"Obviously not too impossible!" Fuana ignored her contradictory belief, but Naru didn't plan on letting it go. "What if I have dreams too, of a voice telling me the princess's name and I can see what she's doing."

Fuana reasoned, "You have met her though. Your subconscious recognizes her, I am simply i-imprinting your brother to be the dream boy."

Naru leaned in closer until it was awkward. "What if I told you it was something more?" The green girl raised a sad brow in confusion, pushing her glasses to rest higher on the bridge of her nose. "What if I told you that...that I was Nayru reborn, and that you were Farore?" She shrugged her shoulders up and tried to pull off a convincing smile.

Fuana just looked sour, still trying to comprehend the statement. She narrowed her eyes, "A-Are you implying that you are the Goddess of Wisdom? A child?"

She threw her hands down and rolled her eyes in annoyance, "Yes a kid! I get it."

"And you think I am Farore, Hylian Goddess of Courage?" She cracked a nervous smile, "You are joking...right?"

Naru stayed motionless.

"That's ludicrous!" Fuana bolted up and walked across the room, a seed of anger sprouting within her silent body. "My mother and father had me, not some cosmic force!"

"I didn't believe it at first either but look," She held out her marked hand and pointed at the varicose veins, "My hand looked that way too at first, but you see that shape it makes? That'll become this here."

"T-that's just a minor case of vitiligo," She backed herself into a corner.

"In the shape of a triangle?" Naru inched closer, becoming just as bothered as the child.

"J-Just Stop," Fuana covered her face and began to sob, a breeze slipping in from an open window. Naru was having no part of being silenced, and continued her advancements.

"Won't you just listen!" Naru growled as the winds began to pick up.

Papers flew around the room in a tornado of air and leaves, surprising her as Fuana became the eye of the storm, covering her ears and shouting, "I SAID STOP!"

Books, pens, and sticks went flying in Naru's direction, and off pure instinct, she raised her hands up and small barrier around her face and eyes formed, her legs taking most of the unintentional attack. Fuana gasped in shock, covering her mouth and shaking her head in disbelief. Naru grinned at her triumphantly before whining about the scrapes on her legs and feet.

The girl looked between her hands and the debris in fright, hyperventilating as she collapsed within herself. Naru tried to keep her calm, but Fuana just shook her head in disbelief and shut her eyes as she searched for a rational reason. There was a giggle at the window, and she lit up like a torch.

"Y-You!" She said to Skull Kid in appreciation, easing up with a smile. "Y-You made those gales right?" He twisted his head to the side one degree too far for Naru's taste. "I-I knew it…"

The child gaped at her scapegoat – he gave no answer! If anything he was responding in confusion not responsibility! Naru wouldn't let it go, but stopped as the creature clothed in fall leaves began dumping hazelnuts that were lodged in his trumpet. Odd thing it was.

Fuana bowed her head and scooped them up. "Thank you, w-we needed them." He seemed to smile behind those dead beady eyes.

"That thing is really nice to you." Naru commented.

She nodded, "I am his friend, and he is mine."

"I can be your friend." She grinned, but Fuana only inched away.

"Friends don't hit friends with projectiles." She whispered, Naru groaning how many times she said sorry. One last item was stuck, and Skull Kid struggled to shake it out, flailing in frustration. After pounding it against the window sill, the object was free, and he held it in his small hands. He held it out to Fuana, and she looked at it in dazzling wonder. It was a shimmering deep green emerald confined within an organic swirl of shiny gold. Attached was a lace made of study vines handcrafted with care. He offered her the necklace but she hesitated to take it.

She questioned, "W-Where did you get this? D-Did you steal it?"

He was offended but still presented it. "It's a spiritual stone…" Naru whispered.

"It's a variant of Beryl composed of beryllium aluminum cyclosilicate." Fuana was puzzled.

"No, look," Naru reached into her shirt and pulled out the Zora Sapphire, "I have one too."

She looked between the two in disbelief, shoving the necklace in her pocket and stepping away. "I-I can't believe b-both of you are–"

"We're not trying to trick you! What would we gain from that!" Naru shouted.

"I-I'll show you. I-I am just Fuana, daughter to Edywn. Fairytales aren't real!" She stormed away in tears, running through the door with Naru bolting after.

* * *

Thank you all for the reviews, you guys are the best!

Special thanks:

ken. nufer, 1986, Ripple, Ultimate Blazer, Solid Snake, HAPPYANNIVERSARY, OKami, mISSjACKSON, PenelopePitstop, MariaDimirievna, Lollie. T. M, Generala, 0MuffinHead0, squaredplanet, spocketlaine, and dghornick

I'm so pleased to here that Naru doesn't bother you guys, and yes the romance for Link and Zelda has taken a new level ( despite the intense tension). Lollie. T. M noticed something very interesting about the wolves in the previous chapter, and I must say, good eye girl! mISSjACKSON feels the same way I do about Zelda having a lot on her plate, but don't worry, things will be getting spicy soon ;) ken. nufer brought up that Naru is tomboyish, and I completely agree - it's astonishing to see how you all interpret her and her personality in ways I didn't consiously intend but managed to get through. You're all some smart cookies!

Some food for thought: How is Link and Zelda's relationship at this point? A lot has been going on for both of them, is Zelda right in her apprehension, and why do you think she has them to begin with?

My amazing editor who works so hard and deserves 100+ cookies with a side of cough syrup: SunnyAirisu222

Alright, see you all at the end of the month for our regular programing. Don't forget to R&R  
See ya!


	16. Chapter 15

**I got my braces a few days ago, and my mouth hates me :)**

* * *

" _I-I'll show you. I-I am just Fuana, daughter to Edwyn. Fairytales aren't real!" She stormed away in tears, running through the door with Naru bolting after._

…

"Your Majesty?" Professor Edwyn raised a bushy brow in concern.

She blinked the daydream from her eyes, tea now cold in her cup. "Pardon me, my mind was elsewhere." She set the china down and folded her hands. That was a daydream, right? She thought to how Naru heard her from within the castle – where did that connection end?

The elder cleared his throat, "I asked your escort about his title as Hero of Twilight, and he gave no reply. Are you a mute?" It came out as an insult, but his pen scratches proved the tone was genuine inquiry.

Link's eyes widened and he shook his head, but chose to look to Zelda for answers instead of giving his own; possibly intimidated by the critical eye of the half-blind professor. "He was Hyrule's Champion against the Twili Invasion."

"Well that's no fair, your response is far too vague. It makes no sense without context." He pulled up a board with loose leaf pages and an ink well attached.

"Very well," she leaned forward to try and see what he wrote, "Four years ago, on the day of my coronation–"

"I thought you said you weren't Queen." He interrupted.

"Do you want the information or not?" She growled disgruntledly, "It was interrupted by an invasion by the Twili and their usurper King Zant, who nearly destroyed my Kingdom. Link conquered him, and defeated his False God, saving Hyrule and earning him his title."

Professor Edwyn seemed...bored?

She frowned. "You seem disinterested in your nation's well being."

He waved his hands at her, "Oh no, it's not that. Hyrule just seems to get into trouble every few decades, so excuse my lack of passion."

She bit her tongue.

"I mean, it's not like this invasion wasn't serious, but...Well, I was there when they tried the Gerudo King for treason against the crown, _and_ during the Neighsdon sabotage against Hyrule trade, _and_ during the civil battles between noble families that wiped out a whole commonwealth. That's just from my first century working with the Royal Family. Tragedy and the crown are scandalous lovers, it's written in the stars."

"I see…" She coughed into her hand, unimpressed by his apathy.

"How old are you?" Link asked.

He scowled, "I'm in the middle of my third century." Link gasped in wonder and the Professor scribbled in his book. "Ah, you were born in the human colony of Ordon, no? Did you not know how long we Hylians lived?"

Link was embarrassed, feeling two feet tall for not knowing something so basic. Zelda felt sorry for the poor man now hiding away from prying eyes. The princess shifted the focus with a rather upfront and rather ill-timed question of, "You said your wife died two decades ago, but Fuana is much younger than that." The moment it escaped her lips, she wished they'd sew shut. Link was shocked by her break in tactics, but she was sure she could stay diplomatic. That was until the Professor dropped his board and shook with an unhinged rage.

"I-If you continue this ridiculous probing you shall no longer be my guests!" Beads of sweat formed on his brow, and his pale eyes darted.

"I do not wish to upset you–"

He laughed, "Too late for that now."

She stood up menacingly, "–But you have no reason to lie to a member of the royal family about something so trivial."

He pointed a stick thin finger in her direction and quivered like a barking dog. "See, right there! Your kind always throw their weight around without even considering the consequences!"

Zelda felt a snap in her patience already thin from stress and pushed the chair away as she walked up to him until he was pinned against his work bench and her. She placed her arms on either side so he couldn't escape. They were the same size and stood nose to nose as he tried to cower back in fear of the cold, expressionless look in her eyes.

"I am well aware of my actions, Professor. Do you know yours?" He stayed silent. "Hyrule is in peril again, and I am risking everything to save her, do you understand?"

He nodded.

"You may think it is nothing more than a regular spat, but I have watched my people _die_ because of my wrong decisions and I will not run away from my responsibility like others," He looked to the side, baiting into her attempt to assert strong pathos, "That girl we travel with is no true sister to the Hero, but a key to Hyrule's success. There are two other girls, and we have reason to believe Fuana is one of them, and I am not prepared to leave without finding out. Now you can either tell us the truth, or we can do this the hard way."

She moved away from him and sat back down, stomach sick. She sounded like her father, and she hated that; the small abyss in her mind was pleased with her dominance, but her conscience was conflicted. That wasn't right of her to be so callous, but she was so tired of the games! Link was just as unnerved by her actions, not angry but disapproving of her use of aggression rather than diplomacy. Maybe now he would understand she wasn't perfect. Her heart ached at the idea.

Professor Edwyn pulled up a seat of his own and sat down, keeping his eyes on her as he did so. He looked defeated and old, older than before, three centuries now caught up to him. He hung his head in defeat and softly sobbed. "Please...don't take my daughter away…"

Princess Zelda shivered in shame, clenching her fists and staying silent. Link caught her regret, and held his heart out to the man. "We're not," he assured him, "But we need to know if she can help us."

He sucked in a cloud of air and began to say just above a whisper, "Lelian and I, were in love."

Zelda watched the lucidity leave his moon colored gaze as he returned to a time long before she was a twinkle in _her_ father's eye. "Times were very different then...A Hylian and a human together was taboo to say the least. Being at the forefront of the new developing age of enlightened thinking did not help the controversy either...Your grandmother understood that our studies and the beliefs of our peoples did not have to disagree, but the others…"

His face reddened in residual anger and Link touched his shoulder to bring him back. "They accused my dear Lelian of tampering with data to prove the superiority of humans over Hylians, when the tests had nothing to due with such a shallow idea! They funded for her research into fertility, and when it bore no good news for Hylians, they wanted to damn her for it. Said she was lying when she had no special cure that would give us as many children as a human family would...So she opted to study archaeology instead...She always loved our people's rich culture, and wanted so badly to spark a revival in our old traditions but, even there she was ostracized. We were wed in secret by your Grandmother, and she was the only one to know our plans of escape.

"We knew leaving would put the college in shambles – I can assume by your surprise that it exists no more, if not but in small ignored pieces...We came to the woods because Lelian wanted to study in peace, in a place shrouded in mystery where no one dare bother us. She questioned the location of the Temple of Time, the fate of the rumored Kokiri, and whether or not a Great Deku Tree truly existed...She loved it here so much, but was always afraid that I wanted to return. I never told her how much our home meant to me.

"She reached a time in her life where she wanted children of her own – having spent most of her time searching for children in the trees – and we tried for a very long time. She hypothesized that male Hylians may be the cause of sterility in our people and did what she did best; tests. It was a year later she came to the daunting conclusions that _she_ was the sterile one. It destroyed her – to think that after those bastards dare accuse her of thinking she was superior over meaningless fertility that–...She was devastated, fell broken and depressed. I tried to help her, and even though she got better...but that winter...Lelian spent the next six months bedridden with an illness I couldn't defeat, only delay.

"She was dying and there was nothing I could do about it...Have you ever felt such loneliness before? She told me of the children in her dreams, and promised she would give me a child no matter what. I could not accept that promise, but she insisted anyway and died within my arms...Two decades pass, and on the anniversary of her death that pestering Skull Kid invites me into the forest, and out of curiosity or hopefulness I follow – and what do I find? A little girl dressed in leaves, sound asleep on a pile of flowers. She's breathing, but doesn't wake up when I move her, so I take her home and wrap her in a warm blanket. When she awakens she says she has no memory of herself or her past...I thought she was a Kokiri child sent to me by my precious Lelian, so I told her she was my daughter and taught her everything I knew.

"Fuana was so smart, and really loved to be out in the woods, just like my Lelian, but she began growing. Kokiri children did not age, and strange veins appeared on her hands, I just assumed it was a skin condition…

"So no, she is not my blood...but she is very much my daughter." He looked up to Zelda with tears in his eyes, fear choking his sobs. She removed a clean piece of the bandage around her arm and handed it to him as a truce.

A disembodied gasp pierced the room.

Fuana stood in the doorway, face white as snow and mouth agape with disbelief. Her almond eyes overflowed like leaves blanketed in rain, and her wet eyelashes streaked her glasses. Naru was behind her, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Fuana!" The Professor gasped, covering his mouth.

"S-So it's true…" She squeaked, stepping toward him and crying, "Y-You lied to m-me!"

Princess Zelda felt guilty the moment she heard the anger in her quiet voice.

"I didn't want you getting hurt!" He fell to his knees and tried to grab her hands but she pulled away. "Curiosity of your past would make you leave, and Hyrule is a merciless place."

She grabbed her head and began to shake her short locks. "Y-You're not even my...Papa, I trusted you! How can I even call you Father now?"

"Now wait a minute!" Naru chimed in, standing between the two. Princess Zelda eyed her, Link glancing at the monarch in curiosity. The feisty child looked to both of them with empathy and begged them to see reason. "Fuana, I understand that you feel hurt, but don't you see how lucky we are? Link, is not my blood in any way – yet here he is, raising me even when he didn't have to. And the Professor loves you like you were his own. Not a lot of people can say that – that they were chosen out of love. Blood means nothing – it's all about heart! The Professor is your Papa, and I know you must feel so betrayed, but you need to try seeing things through his perspective!" She held Fuana's hands in her own and brought them up to her face, nodding her head with a tender smile.

Princess Zelda felt pride swell up within her bosom from the sage remarks. Link's fingers met her arm and she jumped – he was looking into her eyes, bidding her a job well done with teaching the child. She wouldn't dare take all the credit.

Fuana lowered her head. "Does this mean that I am truly...Farore reborn?"

The Professor looked at Zelda in confusion, finally understanding her franticness.

Naru nodded.

"Then d-does that make us...sisters?" Her brows furrowed in a frightful yet longing expression.

The child's smile reached from ear to ear as she jumped, "Of course!"

Fuana nodded, quiet to herself, as expected. When Naru released her hands, she jumped to wrap her arms around her father's neck in a tight hug, crying into his shoulder as he hugged her back. They spoke to each other in whispers, through sobs and gasps of laughter.

Naru went to stand near Zelda and Link, winking at them both, patting her own back. Link grabbed the child and rubbed his fist against the top of her head, ruining her hair and earning a few shouts. Princess Zelda was unfamiliar with the gesture, but when Naru jumped to try and do the same, she assumed it was a ritual between siblings. She decided not to waste time trying to decipher it, for there were more pressing matters at hand.

When Fuana and the Professor separated, he placed a caring kiss on her forehead, and he said, "My precious Fuana...Do you think your poor Papa a fool? For that's all he is, a cowardly fool."

She shook her head and wiped away a tear. "N-No Papa, don't say that…"

"I hate to interrupt," Zelda sighed, "But time is of the essence. I trust Naru has given you a mere abstract of what is occurring." She had their attention. "There is a great evil spreading throughout Hyrule – and lack of faith is what casted the Goddesses from grace into the mortal realm to learn suffering of the flesh. We know little of what is being put in motion, but Fuana, we beseech you to join our party and learn of your destiny. However, it is completely your decision."

Profesor Edwyn eyed her prudently as Fuana bit her lip. "I-I don't know...The outside world seems so...scary…"

Zelda waited for a yes or no.

The preteen looked to her father and then back at the regal woman. "I will go."

The Profesor nodded with understanding as she continued, "B-But under one condition: You patent my invention under Papa's name."

"But Fuana," He gasped, "It's _your_ invention."

"You're a genius Papa," she smiled sadly, "But no one will know what amazing things you do here. T-This will rewrite your achievements. N-No longer Edwyn the Deserter, but Edwyn the Teacher."

"Done." Princess Zelda nodded. That was when the bothersome child of the woods appeared, depressed in his appearance as if he already knew his friend was destined to leave the woods.

"He says the Grove is r-ready," Fuana leaned in to speak to the Skull Kid, "You know I must leave, don't you?"

He hiccuped.

"I want you to take care of Papa while I'm gone, okay? H-He likes hazelnut soup, and make sure he sleeps at least eight hours. And you, stay out of trouble." She pet his head.

Skull Kid signed in agreement, dumping the hundreds of nuts in his trumpet on the lap of the Professor. The Hylian man rolled his eyes as they filled his pockets.

"I-I will come back Papa," She teared up, and he hugged her again.

"This will always be your home." He assured her.

Princess Zelda directed her party outside, and gave the father and daughter the space they deserved.

…

"This is taking forever!" Naruto groaned as she pulled blades of grass only to find a shimmering blue Rupee hiding within and exclaimed, "Ha! Moolah!"

Link and Zelda exchanged nervous looks as they waited outside the cottage, a cyan blue glow falling over the grotto as a strange night scene. She shivered as a cold gasp of air reached her arms, and he offered– well, he really did have nothing to offer as he patted down his person before just leaning against her to try and share his body heat. He had not expected to knock her over, she assumed, but she regained her footing and he pulled away. Princess Zelda blinked, recalling the way he tried too hard to protect her time and time again. Was it because he had to, or because he wanted to?

She mentally smacked herself, lips humming with the memory of his taste. She cleared her thoughts, for no matter what his purpose, she wanted to help him as well. The blank monarch leaned against him this time, arm to arm. She had once seen her mother – during one of those few rare moments passing through corridors – with her head on a man's shoulder as they walked. Now she was no role model, but she knew men more than the princess would ever dream, so that move must be what you did when so close. So, she placed her head on his shoulder.

He took a sharp intake of breath, and she pulled away. _No, that was a stupid idea,_ she scolded herself, now so embarrassed that she walked away to kneel by Naru.

"There's a lot of tension huh?" Naru grinned.

"W-Whatever do you mean?" Zelda began pulling grass blades with her.

The blue eyed child pointing to herself and laughed, "Wisdom over here."

"At least I can tie my shoes," Princess Zelda smirked back, Link chuckling in her peripheral.

The door opened, and a timidly determined Fuana exited, tears hard against olive skin. Princess Zelda rose as the girl motioned for an audience.

"This is a very brave decision you're making, little one," She opened, hoping to see a spark of enthusiasm, but was met with more somberness.

Fuana hugged herself, speaking in her usual soft tone but with an air of maturity. "Brave, or very very stupid…" She sighed, "Whether or not I believe that I-I'm – It doesn't matter really, you seem to trust that I'm necessary to help, and like any scholar, I'm required to test if what you're saying is true. This will be my field study, a look into Hyrulean culture as well as the existence of magic. As you use me for whatever you deem fit, I shall use you for research. These anthropological findings will be noted, and published under the name of Professor Lelian."

"You don't want credit for that either?" Naru tilted her head.

Fuana shook her head.

Link walked up to her and got on his knees, smiling up at her with empathy. "Leaving your home to help others is very courageous."

She blushed profusely. "I-I still feel very scared."

"It's okay to be scared. Courage is working through those fears, because without them, you're just reckless." He assured her.

Unlike Zelda, Link was able to produce a bubble of confidence within the child, no matter how small. Link stood up and waited for Zelda's command. Skull Kid's laughter rustled through the trees like a summer breeze as the world grew darker and darker. Light burned from within the cottage as their only beacon surrounded by blackness. Fuana whimpered in fear, and from the sound of Link's sharp intake, Zelda assumed she had latched onto him in fear.

"Zelda!" He called out.

She reached out for him, but couldn't see past her nose.

"I'm okay!" Naru called out.

A hand grabbed onto her wrists protectively, and just as she expected the ghosts to appear...they didn't. She breathed easy within the darkness, and found within its unknowingness the comfort of the stars above her. They peeked behind the branches like jewelry lost in a satin purse, a purse given to you as a gift from someone you loved. She stared at them in meditation, Link made a sound of calmness when she showed total focus but didn't let go. With no moonlight she relied only on the slightest touch, the thumping of his heart beat, the heat radiating off his flesh. Now was definitely not the time for teenage-like romance, but she yearned so badly to feel – dare she say it – loved. Last time his kiss was charged with so much passion, a caring security so foreign in her world. She wanted to rekindle that feeling, but if she couldn't see it, did it truly happen?

Loud laughter marked her chance to be brave was over; a lantern's glow beckoned them to follow. Like the light on a hearse, the party trailed behind in unease. Even Fuana, a daughter of the forest showed distrust – then again, she was no lion. Skull Kid waddled in varying directions, making hard shifts and taking long pauses every few paces or so. It was not reassuring to see their guide lost – then again, he was a well known prankster.

"S-Stay close by!" Fuana screeched each time they delayed.

"Stop being such a baby!" Naru groaned.

"Y-You don't know what hides within the shadows."

Zelda very much knew, but that didn't mean she was any less horrified by what she saw was crowding them. She let loose a cry as nearly twenty pairs of crimson eyes stared in wide fascination at the adventurers, unnaturally long wooden limbs flailing as their heads twisted like a hungry owl, their toothy grins almost hoping they would stray. Link pulled her back, as she was just standing still, looking at the creatures. He linked his fingers within hers, holding her hand to keep her from wandering.

"You must stay on the path!" Fuana warned.

"What were those–"

"Skull Kid's puppets again. They're meant to lead people astray." Link explained, holding a level of displeasure in his eyes. They were far more menacing at night than during the day.

She heard them rustle amongst the darkness like wooden chimes in a breeze. No wonder it was called Lost Woods for so long. The entity giggled once more, and at the mouth of a cave, he faced his ducklings. Link was unfamiliar with this strange new path, and was wary of the direction.

Princess Zelda was unsure how she felt. That was, until the little cretin disappeared into a pile of leaves, and left behind a childish voice saying, "Bye-bye!"

They were left in the dark with only one other option: enter the suspicious den.

The four held their breaths as they cautiously walked through the foreboding unknown. Imagine Zelda's surprise when a blink that lasted 0.1 seconds opened to a world bright with warm sunshine. They stood in the doorway of an expansive room victim to time and her indiscriminate nature. What were once windows the size of Goliath's now were crumbling holes in the wall, and what was once a ceiling now made of natural coverings. Princess Zelda dropped to her knees and bowed her head to the ground, placing a chaste kiss on the mossy stones. This was hallowed ground, a sacred piece of lost history for her people, and she was the one of the few who could claim they had seen it.

Link showed little to no impressment. This was just a familiar place to him, but when he saw the way she peered at him, he blushed. She wanted him to feel the magnitude of the place they resided. Fuana at least jumped and eagerly began to write in her notebook and inspect markings on the still statues that guarded the entrance to another room.

Naru's loud voice interrupted the stagnant quiet of the ruins. "It's kind of a dump."

Fuana scolded her before Zelda could find her words. "T-This is history! A lost artifact of the Hylian Historia! O-Our ancestors built this place to please their Gods."

"Please, try and show respect, little one." Princess Zelda added.

Link and Naru exchanged confused expressions, the knight turning to a pile of rubble and patting it like a pet. It was the best she would get out of him, wasn't it? She stood, and called Fuana back to them.

"I wish you could continue absorbing this great piece of history; however, we do have a purpose for visiting." She held her hands together and closed her eyes in mild disappointment. Link was allowed to lead the way toward the guarded doorway, looking between the idols in knowing. He led them to an empty grotto encompassed by tall evergreen trees that allowed a single spotlight of the Heaven's rays to bathe a pedestal of stone. Reality came to a hush as particles circulated like balls of shimmer. A single blade stood, plunged deep within the rock, yearning to be held once more. Her grip was the deep indigo of a daybreaking sky, cross-guard molded to replicate the strong wings of the loftwing etched into her family crest, and gold stone shimmered with the hope of a nation.

Princess Zelda starred at her brilliant wonder, tracing every curve and edge of the blade with intense scrutiny. Naru and Fuana even released a gasp each in reverence, but Link greeted it like an old friend. "There is a legend," Princess Zelda began, "That a spirit resides within that blade, and she awaits her master without falter."

Link grabbed the grip confidently, and with both hands, slowly pulled it from its resting place and pointed it skyward. She watched in awe at the way they seemed to fit like a puzzle piece that had been missing for far too long. His expression was...less than enthused. He brought it down and weighed slightly, not convinced with something.

"Is there an issue?" The monarch walked up to him gingerly, leg erupting in scorching pain.

He shook his head, working up a smile. "It just felt...bland."

"Bland?" She tilted her head.

He nodded, "Like more was supposed to happen."

That made her nervous. "Maybe since this is your second time retrieving it, the blade is familiar with you?" She reached out to grab the blade's grib, "Allow me to–"

The moment her gloved palm made contact with the electric metal, she noted this as a mistake. Her muscles clenched, and she couldn't let go as the blade burned with the heat of a thousand fires which destroyed her vision.

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere. Through the makeshift eyes, she sees a familiar shadow amongst a sea of green, standing before the home of a man who speaks to the birds. Figures shrouded in black search for a place long lost to time. Darkness approaches._

With a cry she was able to release the sword, the premonition still fresh in her mind even as a pain erupted deep in the pit of her stomach. Link, Naru, and Fuana ran up to her, but she held her hand out, keeping them away as she covered her mouth as vomit spewed from her cavity. It was a black, gelatinous liquid that slipped out between her fingers. She doubled over, gagging as the vomitus pooled beneath her. She coughed the remaining inkinesss, watching in horror as her saliva mixed with the almost-living slime.

Link knelt down next to her, pushing the carefully wrapped tendrils of hair out of her face, rubbing her back as she continued to spit the bitter substance out of her mouth. It seemed to sizzle out of existence the moment the Master Sword neared it, and she horrifically wondered how long that was inside her.

"The voices say the evil is gone…" Naru whispered, now holding Fuana's hand as they both stared in shock.

Princess Zelda wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and breathed heavily. The mark on her leg no longer hurt, and lifting up her skirts and unwinding bandages she saw it was finally beginning to heal into a scar. Link tried his hardest to ignore it, just caressing her sweaty face and hair.

"All who touch Evil's Bane, are thus cleaned of all darkness." She sighed to herself, pushing herself up. "I saw a premonition."

They waited.

"It is the shadow," Princess Zelda told Link, "He is waiting for us in Faron Woods."

"W-Who is this shadow?" Fuana shivered.

Link grabbed her shoulders and assured, "Don't worry about him okay. I want you to listen to the Princess no matter what, no questions. Time to be brave."

Fuana nodded her head, and tried to feign indifference despite the way her knees quivered. "I-I know a way out of the woods."

…

Fuana was extremely sensitive as she led them through the strange pre-created bridges within the trees. It was definitely a new way through the woods, but Zelda inferred that instead of walking through the enemy, they would be above them, which was still dangerous nonetheless. The preteen knew this as well from the way every little thing made her panic, and the calculated nature of her movements. They eventually reached the top of a hill that overlooked the woods, in which they paused.

Just as Zelda had seen: Dark and a platoon of Bokoblin searched the vacant home and surrounding area. Fuana pulled on her skirt, begging them to just leave, but Zelda wanted to wait and go when the roads were clear. The shack was ransacked and its innards were tossed across the grounds. Whoever lived there was long gone, but clamorous birds shouted at the intruders in defense.

Ganondorf was with them, arms crossed and expression perturbed. Dark eyed him with equal disdain, Link humming with a nearly uncontrollable hatred. Maybe they should have left, but Zelda was too intrigued by the strange tension between the Gerudo and his minion.

"So she got away, and we are wasting our time here?" The aging man chuckled, shaking his head. " And you said I was incompetent."

"Shut up," Dark hissed , "They're here, I know it."

"Maybe she caught on to your trick, and now we're the ones feeling the disadvantage." Ganondorf clicked his tongue.

"You should know old man," Dark chuckled with disrespect, "You're the moron who wanted to keep her like a pet rather than prisoner. Useless."

Ganondorf did not like a single word in that sentence, for he extended his hand out and Dark collapsed in a loud pain, clawing at his neck as an invisible force seemed to harm him. He cried out as he was slowly being tortured by the uncaring Gerudo. The children covered their ears as he screamed and growled, Zelda feeling none of the pleasure she thought would come with watching her enemy suffer.

"You are my servant now, shadow, never forget that!" Ganondorf threw his hand down, slamming Dark onto the hard ground where he continued to writhe in suffering.

"You son of a bitch!" Dark managed to say, still convulsing.

Link reached up and gripped the handle of his blade in caution, but just as he did so, a flare of life filled Dark's soulless eyes. Ganondorf turned his back to the creature and began a monologue of his position of power bestowed upon him by a higher being, all the while Dark grinned like a raging maniac, finally removing what was now seen as a metal chain around his neck. He had a newfound strength, and in that strength a sweet – and very menacing – freedom.

"We should go now," Princess Zelda managed as the creature unsheathed his blade and walked toward the unsuspecting evil.

But it was too late. With a loud shout Dark plunged his blade through his unsuspecting victim, through the back and out the chest, allowing only a final exhale of labored breath. Naru and Fuana let out a sharp cry that Link and Zelda tried to muffle. The entity slowly removed the blade from Ganondorf's limpening body, kicking the elderly Gerudo to the ground. He turned back to face the traitor and extended a limp arm to him, amber eyes burning with red betrayal as he choked on his own blood. Ganondorf tried to speak but it came out in sick turtles that caused his dark face to contort strangely until the bright orange of his hair faded to a dull rust. Dark waited till he moved no more and relished the way his body turned into fine black ash.

Zelda was white with terror as the ashes filled the air. That creature succeeded in defeating him with a single blow, something that she couldn't even comprehend as being possible. She shook in fear, hummed with anxiety, and had blood as cold as ice water.

This creature...what was it? The Bokoblins then rushed in aggravation toward him, ready to attack the one who killed their master. He was bored by their numbers, uncaring of their tactics. He touched the blood that stained his blade and drew on the back of his hand an upside down triforce mockingly. The beasts understood their place in this new hierarchy; he was the strongest now, he was their master.

"Oh Princess!" He began to sing out, proud of his new war paint, "Did you really think things would be just as easy as last time? Find items and take down the villain? How naive. Maybe now you'll figure things out."

She didn't respond, he didn't look in her direction, so he had yet to find where they hid.

"Why won't you come out? Make things a lot easier for everyone, and then we can have fun together again." Link bared his teeth just as Dark cracked a brighter smile. "Did you tell your little paramour of everything we did in your chambers?"

Link unsheathed his blade just as Dark hissed in pleasure. Princess Zelda tried to stop him from reacting, but Dark just continued. "Stay here." He ordered.

Naru grabbed Zelda frightfully asking, "W-What's Big Brother doing?"

Princess Zelda had no answer, only telling the girls, "Cover your ears and close your eyes and do not open until I give you a touch, am I understood?"

They nodded.

"Good," She responded, relieved that now they would not be able to witness her hysteria.

Link made no sound as he appeared on the grounds, approaching the twisted ringleader with a level of confidence. Dark seemed to have the same level of esteem, shooing his entourage away away.

"Ah, it's you." Dark greeted in mock welcome, shifting skin fading into spots of black. Link made no verbal response, but that was when the creature brought up something terrible. "I'll be honest, I think she sounds better when she's screaming, don't you think?" He smirked.

"You bastard!" Link let loose his rage, running to shield-bash his opponent with no luck. Dark was far too fast for him, dodging everything without breaking a sweat. Princess Zelda was nervous for her hero, she prayed he would ignore the attempts at riling him.

"Her skin is so soft, especially on the inside of her thighs," He let out a loud laughter when Link nearly tripped on his own raw adrenaline, "I've had better though."

To Dark's surprise, Link landed a near perfect punch onto his jaw the moment that misleading statement left his slimy lips. Princess Zelda almost cheered in joy when the crude creature fell to the ground with a thud. Link pinned the doppelganger and drew his blade, but as he grabbed the grip, Dark was rejuvenated and was able to land a punch of his own. Link was stunned, and Dark took this opportunity to cut across his chest. Luckily his tunic used chainmail, but it was still too close.

"You really are an idiot," Dark spat, bashing the pommel against Link's temple, causing the Hero to collapse. "Do you not realize what I am? Everytime you touch that blade, it dispels the darkness inside you. We are the same coin, different faces."

"He will never be anything like you!" Zelda stood up and shouted from her hiding spot, bow conjured and drawn in his direction, right between the eyes. She had no power to truly do damage, but he didn't need to know that. Two shadow creatures appeared at her sides, and she panicked, but before Dark could deliver orders, he grabbed his head in pain.

Something appeared to bother him as he began to bicker to himself in some conversation she wasn't a part of. He opened one eye and pointed at her, "This isn't over!" Begrudgingly, he and his comrades stepped away from the fight and appeared to melt into the shadows of the forest and disappear.

Princess Zelda took the girls and ran to Link who lay in defeat on the ground.

"Are you alright?" She picked him up so he could lay his head on her lap.

"Is it...true?" He asked through a swollen lip.

She cried in relief that he was conscious, and began to try and heal his head wound. Her own skull throbbed in pain. "Please do not worry about trivial things."

"I couldn't let him...Your honor…" He was so sad, mind traveling within itself.

She placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, but please do not speak." Maybe he wouldn't remember her actions, maybe he would – she didn't care in this moment. She believed she had reached a point that – even though not out loud – she could admit that, despite the tragedy around her, she had fallen in love with the Hero of Twilight.

* * *

 **And that wraps up the Special January updates! I hope everyone enjoyed the two chapters this month; we will now be returning to our usual one chapter per month again ^^ Thank you all for getting this story to 12,000 views, I truly appreciate it!**

 **Special thanks:**

 **Ultimate Blazer, ariebearz, Montyman1, Generala, Yuna109, Ripple, Arietta Serenade, Kersplunk, ChubbyBunny, and iligar516**

 **In regards to last chapters question, I received interesting responses from you guys. Generala thinks that Zelda has some aprehension toward her romantic life with Link because she is subconsciously afraid of pulling Link into the world of politics, as well as she believe Link still loves Midna. Ultimate blazer has similar feelings with the whole Midna issue, but thinks it's ironic that the triforce bearer of wisdom can't notice someone is falling in love with her ( it is funny huh cx). Ripple ( you sweet darling you) mentioned that they used this story as as example for literary devices in class, and I feel honored! I would love you hear what devices you used it for, you have no idea how happy I am to hear this! And lastly, Arietta Serenade ( who will probably won't see this for a while since she has lots of studying to do) thank you so very very much for reviewing every chapter you get to and really taking the time to write full thought out reviews mentioning not only what you enjoy, but your theories, curiosities, and someone times criticisms of the work! Hopefully you get to read this soon, good luck with your studies!**

 **Alright, well that's it for now. I would give another food of thought question but my mouth in total pain and I can't think straight, so here's some random info: Originally Shards was supposed to be a retelling of TP but with Link having a little sister - I used to play TP and pretend I was the little sister guiding him along. It was a terrible idea so I went for going with TP but from Zelda's point of view only, but since her and Link hardly had any screen time together, I thought events after the game made more sense. I wanted to characterize Zelda a little more since we hardly saw her in-game, and maybe try and give reasons for her not to just teleport away or fight back while in the castle, thus Shards was born! Was this just useless information? Maybe cx**

 **My fantastic editor who will totally rock that ACT: SunnyAirisu222 ( their birthday is February, just in case you want to wish 'em a happy early b-day ;3)**

 **Alright my lovelies, stay safe and hydrated! Please R &R if you can, See ya!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Happy late Valentine's Day my lovelies!**

 **We are so close to hitting 100 reviews, and because we will probably be reaching that number after this update, the next month's chapter is going to be the size of two chapters. An average chapter is 10-13 pages, and Chapter 17 is a whopping 26! Thank you all so much for the support - let's get to 100!**

 **Without further ado~**

* * *

Princess Zelda kept a keen eye on Fuana – better yet, everyone – the whole trip back to Kakariko. The travel was fairly short, only a whole day's worth, and all the while, she spent it collected in her musings. With the forest girl, Zelda tried to get a read on her character, but often misinterpreted her reticence as melancholy – perhaps she was projecting. Fuana was a peculiarly remarkable girl though, and this shyness possibly came from the fear of accidentally belittling someone with her extensive knowledge. You could tell she was holding back when they traveled the fields, where she would bravely walk up to plants, and examine them until she could paint a picture off memory. The only time the girl showed any kind of backbone was when there was something she could study or comprehend. She had the courage to even speak to the Princess when she caught a glimpse of the ruined castle.

With the burning spirit of inquiry, she peeked out of her shell and asked, "Is that Hyrule Castle?" and began probing about architecture and life of the aristocracy. The Princess had no right to feel offended by the questions, but the way she just scribbled in her notebook after every sentence was a tad unnerving. After awhile she grew accustomed to it, seeing as it was the only thing keeping the girl from bursting into tears from homesickness; and in honesty, it was endearing. No one _really_ cared about her life well enough to ask hundreds of questions without having an ulterior motive. An interview with an individual seeking knowledge for the sake of knowledge was nice – anything to get closer to the preteen who was otherwise intimidated by her.

Naru stayed pretty mellow most of the trip, not saying much unless she was talking to Fuana. She was trying real hard to make their new party member comfortable, offering her rocks from the trail so she could study them – Zelda overheard her mumble something about hoping one of the rocks had a diamond. She was showing signs of a maturing mind, taking more time to think and better understand what went through her head. Yes, when Link brushed her hair she spoke as fast as a horse runs, but she was able to entertain herself with her own thoughts as well. She was growing up, and although this frightened Link – as he imagined what it will be like when she discovered boys did not actually have an incurable illness called cooties – Zelda felt intrigued. She never grew up with anybody before, no childhood friends or siblings, and watching someone experience the same stages of life she did was humbling. She tried to never see herself above others, but she knew her lifestyle was vastly different from the common folk – this proved they were not so dissimilar.

Link was preoccupied to say the least, lost within his racing mind troubled with the past few days. His head was feeling better, even after being struck on the temple, but the mental damage remained. She wanted him to rest, but he couldn't sleep with the world's problems shaking him awake. People he cared about were getting hurt, she could empathize with the feeling. Dark's words bothered him, she could see the pain in his eyes each time he looked at her. She felt it was finally time to tell him what really happened that night in the castle; free him from a rampant imagination that tortured his thoughts. When they had some time alone she would tell him, hopefully that would ease his nerves. She longed to bring him as much serenity as possible.

And on the topic of nerves, she was as sensitive as a fresh wound. She had barely began to completely wrap her head around the fact that she had witnessed Ganondorf be killed by a beast of pure hatred. How was she to respond to that? It wasn't supposed to happen like this, was it? The legends always end with a battle to the death between the King of Darkness and the Goddess's chosen Hero, so why was this happening? In a cold sweat, she realized that Ganondorf's interference might have been the only thing stopping Dark from killing her; what did this development mean for her and her party? How could she rely on an unclear destiny formed by Gods who have lost control? She could feel herself slipping away, heart thumping in her throat, flash of heat stealing her vision. On the trip back, she saw the ghosts interacting with reality to the point where she found it hard to tell them apart. The others didn't notice – it was so sad that she had gotten so good at hiding it.

…

"W-What do you mean he's dead?" She could tell Shaman Renado was using restraint from shaking her shoulders. Council Nohansen was equally shaken, Earl Kemp punching the wall until his knuckles were white.

"This wasn't supposed happen like this!" he spat.

"You don't think we know that?!" Viscount Osmar flipped his blond locks over his shoulder in annoyance.

" Please, no arguing." Counselor Fane whispered in concern.

Lord Osmar sighed, "Emotions are high, but we need to keep our heads level if we plan to adapt."

The sanctuary crew quiet, but the humming of tension was loud within their ears. The Resistance and Council members looked amongst one another in exhaustion. They merely wanted answers and a clear solution – something Zelda could not give at the moment. She couldn't see ahead of what was unfolding, they were the prey relying only on their cunning; whatever they had left.

Mayor Bo tried to stay optimistic. "Maybe this is a good thing. One less enemy to focus on."

"Yes, but it's a far superior foe." Ashei crossed her metal clad arms and leaned back in her seat.

Morale was slipping by the second as she was slowly regaining to her energy to speak. Alger began to argue with Sir Auru and Shad, pressuring them to divulge knowledge on the creatures they didn't have.

"You have to know something!" He crowed, throwing his hands down on the table with a bang. The others soon followed, surrounding the men and breathing down their necks. Link took a step forward while looking back at her, asking for some response to his friends drowning in angst. He and the Princess began pulling the adults away from one another's throats, sitting them back down and holding their hands out in defense.

"Please," Princess Zelda breathed, "We can not be doing this: attacking one another!" They turned away from her judgmental stare, ashamed with their actions.

"It's not all hopeless." Link went to stand at Zelda's right and pointed to the corner of the room. Fuana and Naru loitered beside terra cotta pots with focused eyes. Fuana especially glared in regard to what the adults were bickering over, fingers twitching to take notes but shyness disabling her. The Council tried to give reassuring smiles to the children, but they were no idiots, they could tell nothing was okay – they had seen a man turn into ash for God's sake. Impaz handed them each a baked goodie to try and distract them with the comforting smells.

"So that's her," Shaman Renado spoke with whimsy.

"Yes," Princess Zelda assured, "She is Farore reborn."

Lord Kemp gave a grunt. "I won't lie Your Majesty, I thought this whole Goddess Reborn theory was a load of bull. Now I can't help but pray it's no coincidence."

She nodded her head. "I appreciate the support, then."

It was at this moment that a commotion was heard on the other side of their oak door, a brawl sounded like it was commencing, and Ilia rushed inside. Her hair was disheveled and emerald eyes wide in panic. Everyone jumped when she cried, "There's a fight outside! Someone hit one of the Eldin Virgins!"

"They what?!" Princess Zelda gasped in shock.

The Resistance and Link started for the door, Telma angrily shouting, "If those shadows don't kill us, then we'll kill one another!"

The Princess zoomed past Ilia and Mayor Bo, pushing past the crowd of people at the door frantically. Link grabbed her wrist, and she pulled him forward with her. She was coming in too hot, he caught that shift in her energy, but they couldn't waste any time.

Outside the Sanctuary was a mob of people in a circle. The outer edges were made of looky-loo gossip mongers hungry for some drama, so the moment they noticed she was standing behind them with cold eyes, they fled from the scene. People began to part and whisper amongst each other as loud cries grew louder the closer they got to the center. Sutter and a few guards arrived, shooing people away from the scene.

In the center was a pack of men and women red with rage, kicking up dirt and pointing dangerous fingers. A human female was the loudest, her knuckles scarlet and chest heaving frantically as she screamed, "It's all your fault!"

Zelda followed her eyes to the virgins who huddled together fearfully. A Lanayru virgin came to bring a wet cloth to wipe the blood off the lip of a Hylian woman who slumped defeatedly on the ground, torch still in hand and extended upwards. Even when being struck down, she refused to halt her duties. Her tears muddied the dirt, and her sisters tried to pull her up, but the world was still spinning.

Elric stood in the middle of them, arms outstretched to both sides and brunet locks sticking to the sweat on his forehead. He condemned, "You were out of line!"

"Like hell I was!" She spit in the direction of the girls.

Princess Zelda made her presence known with a disapproving sound. Both parties turned to her, embarrassed and uncomfortable. _Good,_ she thought to herself, _they should feel that way._

"What is the meaning of this?" She retained composure, "We still have laws."

The human woman was brave enough to take a stand. "Your Majesty, you of all people should know the destruction caused by the Triforce of Power. These Priestesses of Corruption are the reason why we're in this mess!"

"That's not true!" The injured virgin argued, "It was the spirit of Darkness Demise who corrupted the Gerudo King and seduced Din for her power. It is the tempation of mortal flesh which causes destruction!"

They started arguing again back and forth, talking over one another until it was just meaningless noise. Should she intervene or was she too biased to make any decision? She bit the inside of her lip with the inability to move out of paralyzing uncertainty. The canyon was getting hotter, and tension rose with the temperature.

"My family is dead because of this invasion, and you expect me to pray to some being that has given me nothing in return!" The woman cried out in rageful tears.

"The drought has made the crops wither. Without a harvest we are sure to starve, that is why we need this feast day!" A Zora virgin reasoned. So that was the source of the issue?

Her comment earned her a kick of dirt in her direction by a human man, and few other people on the opposition walked forward ready for a fight. Link and Elric jumped in, holding them back from the girls as Ashei and Ilia stepped up to keep the virgins from retaliating.

"QUIET !" Princess Zelda rose her voice so it echoed throughout the red mountains. All eyes were on her as even the hawks up above listened in keen interest. She acknowledged that they expected a lot from her as a patron of wisdom and law, but things didn't seem as black and white anymore. They needed a leader, but seeing suffering first hand was far different than reading about it in memos and listening through heralds or Court of Common Pleas. It was gritty and troubling – maybe she wasn't cut out for this position – no, she was born for it.

She took a heavy breath and thought back to her grandmother and her ability to retain an air of elegance despite the situation. She would imitate that confidence, even if it was a lie. "Battling one another will not fix Hyrule's problems. We must be the cause of change, not the effect – our enemies lie outside these walls, or have you all forgotten?"

 _Pause for emphasis,_ she mentally coached herself, turning to make eye contact with everyone she could before continuing. "I think a feast day is an excellent idea, it will give us as a people a chance to unwind and enjoy the life we were given. Festivities and laughter to clear up this suffocating air of depression."

No one disagreed, but their silence went both ways.

"The Festival shall commence."

…

Maybe this wasn't the best idea.

No, that's ridiculous, it was a great idea – she was just getting cold feet about it. She paced her room in the Inn wearing the slightly dirty remnants of the white gown she donned the wedding in Ordon. She bit the second knuckle of her index finger and struggled with a building anxiety. It was supposed to be a day of relaxation – so why was her mind lingering on the things that made her want to jump up and run away? She mumbled to herself and flailed her hands out to slap away the ghosts that jumped so suddenly from the coffin in her head.

Her chest was collapsing in on itself and she took a seat, afraid of enemies she couldn't see which filled her like a well with guilt and terror.

 _The rose screamed as her thorns were ripped off one by one by a shadow which hid behind the warm sun. His smokey grasp touched and caressed, hit and cut into her lithe stem in ways that left her ready to wither. This was the same pain casted onto her perennials by the serpent, and she cried in sick understanding of karma's punishment for allowing them to die._

 _The scene fades like a passing mist, and all she can feel is the scratching, petting, and cutting by hands that made her sick. A shadow gropes and hurts, all the while eclipsing over the sun's smile._

Memories were melting together to the point where she couldn't tell the difference between past and present, all she knew was the torment. Ten minutes of the paralysis left her tired and weak, and she screamed into the pillow on her bed in a war cry of stress. She would have to throw it out, as it was pregnant with those emotions she wished to hide away.

"Damn you." She cursed herself.

There was a knock, and she wiped away her tears and smacked her face to snap out of it.

"Enter." She sat straighter, pinching the back of her hands to keep the aftershock away.

Impaz entered the room with her hands placed neatly behind her back, trailing Fuana and Naru behind her. Both girls wore their own versions of the same white dress with an equally similar look of unamusement about it. Naru even began to pull at the collar until Impaz scolded her.

"You two appear lovely." Princess Zelda motioned them to come forward so she could position their spiritual stone necklaces in the center of their chests.

"If this is Din's feast day, shouldn't we be wearing red?" Fuana asked.

"Yes; however, we have neither the dyes nor textiles for that at the moment. We make do with what we have." Princess Zelda made her turn around so she could tighten the gown that still sagged at the shoulders. "How are you liking Kakariko, Fuana?"

"I-It's different. I've never seen mountains before, a-and there's a lot of people." She was trying to be polite, but Zelda could tell she was not particularly fond of the terrain.

Impaz chuckled, but when asked why, she gave no answer. Instead, she came to the silent monarch and produced for her a wreath of ruby red roses. Princess Zelda's eyes widened and heart melted at the gesture. "Miss Impaz...you should not have–"

"You should have fun today," she grinned, "A man will have to try very hard to find a rose in the desert."

The children's ears perked in curiosity, glancing between the crown made of flowers and Zelda who began undoing her hair and removing her diadem. "It is a popular tradition during festivals that a woman of marrying age wear upon her head a wreath made of an object she desires, whether it be: beads for jewelry, strings for an instrument, or flowers, things of that sense. If a man is able to produce the object of her desire, she may grant to him her company for the rest of the festival. Just a simple game," She smelled the soft fragrance of her roses.

"I wanna play!" Naru raised her hand up.

"M-me too!" Fuana flushed but blurted eagerly.

Impaz clicked her tongue at them, "This is for adults only children, maybe when you're older."

They groaned in defeat. Princess Zelda placed the wreath on her head and moved her long chestnut locks to cascade over her shoulders and down her back, curling at the tips. It fit just right, and the object pleased her. She thought back to Link and his ability to find that beautiful pink rose in Zora's Domain – hopefully he still retained that luck.

Ashei and Shad entered the room shortly after; she wore a crown of small white feathers, and in her arms was a relaxed cucco. She appeared content like a pleased child, and a blush stained the scholar's cheeks. "Are you ready, Your Majesty?" He questioned, looking back at his wife with a nervous yet excited grin.

Zelda raised a brow at the behavior. "I will be right down." With a girl on either side, she departed from her room and fluttered down the stairs into the stuffy lobby. People were searching through their packs to find the best clothes they had, while others were heading out with the intention of setting up a booth. Although excitable, the people seemed to hold a continuous expression of joy beneath the screen of worry. She really did hope they would have fun.

Families dressed their children up in whimsical costumes of characters from the legends of old or monsters. Fuana and Naru stared off with a sad interest into the silly outfits. It would have been fun for both of them to experience their first festival, but they had duties now. The families noticed the three of them staring, and in a surprising turn, they smiled and waved at them before bowing their heads. The girls waved back awkwardly, and Zelda was unsure if she should do the same – it was such an odd greeting, but she thought it would be okay, just once.

Kakariko itself was alive and bustling for the first time in years. Foot traffic was at an all time high, and was similar to that of a mid-morning Castle Town. People of different trades and backgrounds had booths and tables set out with varying goods for sale. The Gorons had even set up a small play area for children that involved being thrown into the air and seeing who went up the highest. Ilia, with a crown made of apple leaves, stood beside Elric, who had a basket of apples in his arms. Together they were collecting seeds from the citizens by the Sanctuary that the Priestesses would try and grow. Both looked at one another lovingly as they gave out the ripe fruit in exchange for the seeds, and briefly kissed whenever they could.

Uli and Rusl passed by the Princess with a smile as well, a bundle of daisies in one arm and their daughter in the other. Rusl was wearing her wreath playfully, and Zelda couldn't contain an amused chuckle.

"Your Majesty!" Counselor Fane greeted from behind a very crude Bokoblin mask already falling apart at the seams. "This was an excellent idea!"

She was glad to hear he thought so.

Naru made a noise of discomfort, and turning she saw the blue child was surrounded by men and women holding out their instruments and pieces of art to her longingly. "W-What are you doing!" She meeped at them, stepping back and latching onto the Princess's leg, not taking her eyes off the eager people.

Zelda leaned in and whispered, "Nayru is also the Patron of Artists, they simply want your blessing."

Naru winced and grabbed her head in a pain that must have lasted only a second, for immediately after she began waving her hands flamboyantly and saying nonsense words. "There, you're blessed, now leave."

Pleased, the artists walked away with a new spring in their step, but Naru was still unnerved. Fuana, on the other hand, had Faron virgins attempting to dress her up like a doll – and with no place to run, she instead lectured them on personal space until they left her alone. Both were already exhausted with the customs and duties, no longer enjoying themselves. Beth and Colin ran past and motioned for them to joy their pack of children for a stroll through the streets, but the girls refused.

Princess Zelda felt a twinge of guilt, recalling how often in her childhood she wished to just go out and play with the other children. With a sigh she knelt down and said, "You may go if you like."

"Really?" Naru frowned.

"N-No, we hold a position that requires us be part of the ceremonies." Fuana said no, but her eyes begged yes.

Princess Zelda smiled. "The ritual shall not begin until tonight. Go, enjoy the day and I shall call for you when you are needed."

Without hesitation, the girls ran off with their skirts in hand, Fuana following Naru in fear of being the odd one out. Princess Zelda chuckled and headed to the center of town, but not without a group of young men approaching her eagerly. She stopped and eyed the five of them, all varying ages and professions but the same dumb expression. When they saw her wreath, each released a frustrated groan.

"That's no fair!" One of the them frowned and walked away.

"Is there an issue?" She thought to ask, but they were already turning away.

"Really thought I had a chance."

"A rose, in the desert? Impossible."

It slowly dawned on her that they were disappointed in her desired item, but since it wasn't her problem, she didn't dwell on it. She searched through the crowds for an important figure, stepping past the hordes gathered at a refurbished Malo Mart that employed Gor Ebizo to announce their special sales.

"Your Highness!" A voice called out to her, and she turned with a leap in her chest only to find it was Lord Osmar. Her expression returned to blankness as she strolled over to him. He appeared very proud of himself for some reason, and wasted no time explaining. "So, we had a few individuals refuse to partake in the festivities, so in the name of Hylia, Earl Kemp and I placed them here, in our makeshift dungeon."

Her eyes almost shot out of her head. "You did what?!"

His brows furrowed.

"You imprisoned our citizens due to their unwillingness to join in celebration?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, "That is very counterproductive Viscount, they should not be forced into this."

"I don't understand," He crossed his arms, "As Herald for the Gods, I would have thought you of all people would understand that these...atheists are not good for our cause."

She sighed, "We are not inquisitors, Lord Osmar. Non Believers are healthy, they keep us from bastardizing the will of the Gods. There are greater problems than a few individuals who would rather stay indoors."

He didn't agree, but that was also not her problem. He released the citizens eventually, but gave her a cross look until he finally left. That man was still Lord Harlan's father, and an action such as this gave her reason to be leery of him.

…

The festival was a few hours in and still no sign of her knight. She was dying to speak to him and clear his mind, but he was lost within a sea of faces. The Princess ate a bowl of warm oats given to her by Alger as she waited by the bomb shop – his words when handing it to her were; "Here, only dogs like bones." Was he insulting her: yes. Did she mind: she didn't have to sell another earring to receive food, so no. The sun was preparing for her descent down into the horizon, the sky still blue but shadows stretching across the hot dirt. A majority of the Eldin virgins were already beginning to prepare the soil and sowing what Elric and Ilia collected.

Princess Zelda sighed in a repressed envy of the relationship between the Ordonian and the merchant boy – they had spent all day together, and all she had as a companion was a bowl and spoon. It was so juvenile to be so needing of another to feel complete, but these past few days sparked something inside she couldn't ignore any longer. _Stay professional Zelda,_ she reminded herself, _Do not let them know what you are feeling._

She heard a familiar noise. A grunt of desperation from a mouth she knew as well as her own. Zealously she scanned around, hoping to catch a glimpse of green and – she found it! He was standing by the side of a building and didn't notice she was watching him. She smiled when she saw a smirk graced his features, but he was talking to someone. Following his eyes, a wave of cold air sent shivers through her body – it was a Hylian woman with long honey blonde hair and luminescent blue eyes. She was holding up a red rose – had she received it from him or was she giving him it, she couldn't tell – but she wore a wreath of roses similar to her own.

The Princess tried to keep a level head, give logical explanations, but the other voice in her mind, the loudest one, kept repeating that her feelings were unrequited, and here was the proof. To think he would hold Zelda to the same regard as a normal woman – she was a Princess and he her knight, an employee! Disgusted by the pretty pigmentation on the woman's face and curviness of her form, Zelda stormed off, throwing her grains down, hiding behind the hair falling in front of her face.

Was she not Hylian enough, was that it? Was her hair too brown and eyes too stormy that the sliver of human in her blood made her appear as a mutt? Her father thought so. No, she needed to keep equanimity to escape the crowd without crying – no crying either! She pushed past people, avoided children, and was deaf to the voices calling her name. She wanted to be alone right now, and like a dying dog, she hid away from the others behind the Sanctuary.

Frustrated and jealous, she punched the wall until it hurt, convincing herself the tears were from the pain in her hand rather than heart. What was wrong with her? Was it the ghosts, did that make her less appealing? _This was going to happen regardless_ , she told herself, _You are betrothed, remember?_

She rolled her eyes, there was no way Neighsdon would be coming now.

"Princess!" He was coming. Maybe he saw her storm off – maybe he brought the girl with him. She tried to shrivel up and disappear.

His voice came louder, "Princess!"

He was moving to the right of the Sanctuary, and she quickly wiped away any tears.

"Ah!" Turning she saw him walk up to her with a radiant grin from ear to ear. She quickly turned her back to him so he wouldn't see the red around her eyes.

"What do you want?" She asked threateningly, but it flew past his head since he was just humming with excitement. "I am busy at the moment."

He made a sound wondering what exactly she was doing out here all alone.

She cleared her throat to buy some time. "I am…" She saw the Lanayru virgins conducting a small wedding in the spring. "Spectating."

It was poor excuse, and he didn't buy it, reaching into his pack and stating, "Here."

Glancing back, she saw between his fingers a single ruby red rose held out to her. She covered her mouth in a gasp, checking his expression to see him ooze with joy at her reaction. "Is this...for me?" She questioned, taking it in her hand as soon as he nodded yes.

"I saw a girl with a crown just like yours. I got it from her."

She felt him tense up the moment she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She couldn't control herself she was so happy, and yet so embarrassed by how quickly she thought the worst of him. He was taken aback, but returned the hug, both nuzzling their faces into the crooks of their necks. Zelda was the first to pull away, flushed and glad Impaz wasn't around to scold her for the very unladylike behavior. But when she moved back, she saw a glimpse of hurt hidden behind blue skies. "I love it, many thanks." She sighed, wanting him to forget whatever bothered him.

"I'm glad Princess."

"Please," she responded in an air of professionalism, "Today I am simply another festival-goer. Refer to me as Zelda."

He extended an arm out for her and radiated happiness. "Shall we, Zelda?"

"Yes we shall, Link."

The two spent the rest of the afternoon arm in arm, often stopping to investigate a new item that appeared on the streets. The moment people saw them, a few men threw their hands up in defeat and cursed the Hero's very name, and their companions – their friends – made faces and silly comments. Despite the world being thrown into a state of chaos, Zelda was able to truly pretend for one day that everything was okay. That her castle was still erect and strong, her people still had a home, and she chose out of pure interest to spend her time in Kakariko on a campaign to better unify her Kingdom. That was the fantasy she played in for a time being, unready to wake up from this lovely dream and face the harsh reality that outside these walls people were dying, and beneath the smiling faces was a bubbling depression from losing everything.

The night was almost too quick for her taste, but Link and her had spent their time jumping from booth to booth and dancing just as they had in Ordon. At nightfall she called Fuana and Naru from their day of being children and took them to the plot of land where the Eldin Virgins gathered, now lit with the immortal flames' glow. Zelda, Fuana and Naru held in their hands a jug of fresh water taken from the spring, and unlike those tyrannical Oracles, the Priestesses appeased the Gods with music and song. Taking the water, they fed the parched earth and waited, singing and chanting, getting the whole village involved. Zelda would steal glances at Link who watched her with the same level of interest, but not without Rusl elbowing him to continue singing.

It was many hours, and the nights were becoming cold and unforgiving, but just as the last pair of eyes grew ready for slumber, there was a sharp gasp, and to the crowd's surprise, the first green of vegetation began to appear. The feast day was a success, and everyone seemed so happy with the results – hugging and cheering with one another. Families went home and dreamt of this place as a safe haven, and the non-believers who opposed the festival did not feel as forsaken. Link took Naru to retire for the night, and offered to show Fuana where she would be staying – the woodland girl now a little less skeptical but still very questioning. She didn't have time to tell Link what she wanted, damn it all – and to her dismay, all good dreams must come to an end. Sighing, she searched for Impaz; she needed a trip to the hot spring.

…

"Thank the Gods you are here, I can not stand Alger and the Handmaidens when it comes to these tasks." Princess Zelda paused on the wooden stairs above the Inn to wait on the calculated steps of her nursemaid. The Sheikah woman often paused to lean on the wall and take deep breaths. Zelda held her hand out for the elderly woman to take, instantly regretting her decision to ask. "You are not required to accompany though, Miss Impaz."

"Nonsense," She gave a toothy grin that made her tufts of white hair puff up almost, "How else am I going to make sure no peeping-Tom arrives?"

Princess Zelda blushed and pulled her towel against her body tighter, shivering when a gust of wind blew through the thin fabric of her gown. She shook her head. "You are terrible."

"It happens Your Majesty." Impaz laughed, only half joking. Taking the Princess's hand, they ascended up the stairs to the Kakariko Hot Spring. Steam curled up from the water like a cat's curious tail, moving to wrap itself around the bodies of its guests. Her skin pricked with goosebumps from the relaxing heat that brushed away a bitter desert night. She hung her towel on the wooden fence surrounding the hot spring, and eyed the spot just behind a boulder to be where she would relax in the water – the idea of peeping-Toms filling her with caution.

"One moment," Impaz jumped up before waddling down the steps.

Princess Zelda waited for her chaperone to return and removed the rose wreath from her head. Looking at it, she frowned at how many petals had already begun to fall off the fragile flowers, but what did she expect after spending the whole evening running around and dancing. She sighed – she called it a sigh, but any third party would agree it was more of a noise that came before swooning over a pleasant memory.

"I'm back!" The elder coughed as she approached, brown sack in hand. The stoic monarch looked the object over and then back at Impaz who adorned a rather earnest expression. "Come here child," She beckoned, here being eye level. Princess Zelda slowly fell to her knees and sat patiently, waiting to understand the meaning of this solemn gesture.

"Is everything alright Mis–"

"I have something for you." Impaz pushed the sack toward the princess's pale face expecting her to take it, but Zelda waited for a verbal queue. "It's a gift."

"A gift?" She repeated, "Thank you."

With abstemious hands she humbly took the burlap sack and set it in her lap, working with light hands to undo the sisal string that kept it shut. Timidly, she inserted a few digits and felt inside a variety of material, some soft and others rough like untreated leather. She grabbed all that she could and pulled it from the comfort of the sack and held it up to view. "Impaz…" She breathed.

It was clothing, a type of light armor foreign to this time. It was made from a leather or material she couldn't quite place – it was thick and hard in some places but thin and malleable in others – and dyed in blue and black themes. The thing that caught Zelda's eye more importantly was the heraldry that hung over the chest region: A red eye.

"Where did you get this?!" Zelda removed a white fabric used around the neck and a balaclava.

Impaz smiled. "When I left the castle, I knew where I needed to go before reaching Kakariko. My people once called this town their home, but so much of us have been erased by the sands of time that I feel responsible to keep our legacy alive. I returned to my home in the ghost town and took whatever artifact I could because I knew my ancestors yearned for our duty to be fulfilled in this time of need...Do you know what this is?"

Princess Zelda picked up the scabbard of a curved short sword no longer than her forearm. Fuana would be very interested in this piece of history. "I am assuming this must be a traditional Sheikah Warrior garb."

The chuckle Impaz released was strange. She smiled, "That tunic was made by my relative Impa, and given to your grandmother many years ago."

"W-What?" Her eyes widened and face tightened in shock.

"How did you think she got so much done during her reign? Politics will only do so much, she needed another means to gain information and justice. She posed as a member of our tribe, and acted on decisions the way _she_ wanted to – without fear of what a council would think."

"You are saying she was Queen during the day, and vigilante at night?" Zelda raised a brow.

"According to her, there was a timeline in which she used this guise to shelter herself from evil for seven years," Impaz crossed her arms.

Zelda ran her thumb over the fabric. "I see you know of the event that never happened, in a time that does not exist?"

"Did you think this alter-ego only existed in that Hyrule? It was fate that we give her this blank slate."

"So then why do you bestow it upon me?" Zelda glanced up, not wanting to jump to any conclusions.

"Sheik was given to your grandmother as a way to defend herself against the toxic climate of political bias. We Sheikah were given a task by Hylia to protect her reborn body, and now that Hyrule is in a state of disarray, I give you our armor so my ancestors can defend you. I can't expect you to fully become your grandmother's alter, she had years of vigorous training under Impa, but I know this armor is far more suitable for combat than your dress and pauldrons." Impaz leaned in and patted Zelda's hands methodically, using the other hand to lightly pinch her cheek. "You are an exceptional leader, child, and this way your grandmother will always be with you."

Princess Zelda wiped away a stray tear from the elderly woman's face and smiled warmly. "Thank you so much Impaz. This means so much to me, but I am afraid no amount of vocabulary could accurately express my feelings right now."

"Good," she wiped away a runny nose, "Now go get in the water before you make me cry."

Princess Zelda laughed, walking over to the water's edge and dipping her toe in. The hot water made her cold feet erupt into pinning needles before relaxing into a soothing warm.

"Oh, and don't worry about the garment yet. I'll show you how to put it on tomorrow before you start your training."

"Training?" Zelda called back.

"Lady Ashei wants to test your ability to fight in the suit and see how proficient you are with a short blade." Impaz gasped, "You know what, you get in and I'll be right back. I forgot to feed my cats."

She ran off again, and Zelda wiggled out of her ceremonial dress and set it by the shore neatly. Because she knew she would be soaking in the water, the princess replaced her usual chemise with disposable wrappings around her breasts and hips. Of course this was the most proper way to bath in a spring without being bare as baby, but she felt shy anyways. Quickly she stepped into the water and scrunched her toes on the slippery bottom of the spring until she waist deep in the soothing liquid. The tips of her hair trailed behind her as she walked to the obscured spot behind a boulder and sat down until the water reached her shoulders.

A loud groan of delight was pushed out of her lungs by the tight embrace of heat that massaged her aching muscles and left her feeling weightless. Her long brown hair floated around her body, enjoying the day it had free from its bindings. She tilted her head back and let the water deafen the voices that tried to ruin her peace.

 _Why did Dark kill Ganondorf?_ One snuck in, but she wasn't ready to search for answers that may not even exist. The shadow was simply evil and hatred personified, why would he need a reason to do something heinous. _But he said he was Link's hatred...Did everyone have a shadow?_ She laughed out loud, _Where is my shadow? What if I am the shadow?_

Wait, that wasn't funny at all. She sucked back her chuckles and stared up at the billion stars in the sky. Lifting her hand up and out of the water, she reached out toward the illusive moon and traced its pale moonlight against her skin. Her triforce almost glowed within the spotlight, happy to be noticed. There was no way – so then, where was her shadow? Her hand returned underneath the pool's water and touched the wound on her leg. It was healing, but she could feel the scab was taut and tough. She still wanted to speak to Link in private, and feared she'd never have the chance.

Her heartbeat began to quicken, and tears threatened to streak into spring water as she shuddered at how defiled she felt by the memories left in her skin. She let loose a sob when she recalled the way ash was carried on the wind; why did she feel pity for the enemy? Maybe it wasn't pity, but mourning for another tiny shred of her innocence taken away from her the moment the life drained from his eyes. The shadows were watching her, and she felt unsafe and scared like a child without their mother.

The staircase creaked as Impaz ascended once more to the Hot Springs and Zelda stifled a scream of fright. She wiped her face and stood up, walking over meet her caretaker thankfully. A puff of steam crossed her face, and once it passed, she saw the figure begin to remove its shirt.

"AH!" Both Link and Zelda screamed. Zelda used her hands to try and cover herself and Link used his discarded tunic to hide his braies, both swiftly turning to not face one another, faces red hot.

"I-I thought you were someone else!" Zelda stammered.

"I'm s-sorry I had no idea you were up here!" Link choked on his own words.

 _Do you take pleasure in my sufferings!_ She scolded the Gods mentally – this was not what she meant by private time!

"It is alright," she cleared her throat, trying to be mature about the very awkward situation. She wanted to smack herself – he _has_ seen her without a dress before, when they fell into the river – but she has only _wrappings_ , that is ten times more inappropriate!

"I-I can come back when you're done." He broke her silence.

"No!" She said too loudly, taking it a tone down to say, "No, that is not necessary. Our soldiers must bathe together, and as fellow warriors, it is appropriate to enjoy a relaxing hot spring."

He made a nervous noise. "Are you sure?"

She nodded even though he couldn't see it. "Yes. We are not two juvenile teenagers, I am sure two adult compatriots can act reasonably."

And that was how Link and Zelda took a dip in the Kakariko Spring on either side of a large boulder, both stiff as boards as they dared not move. To think that Link was on the other side of the rock nearly bare – she shook the impure thought away, they were professionals! When either of them moved, the other would stop and listen to the noise made by the water and freeze. The heat did not help the flush on her face and shoulders. Now she hoped Impaz would never return.

Link cleared his throat.

"Did you say something?" She perked up.

"Eh?" He inhaled, "No."

"Okay."

 _Go on Zelda, now is your time._ She pulled her knees up to her chest and began, "Link I–"

"The festival was great." She heard him splash slightly.

She nodded. "Yes it was. I am glad to hear you had an amusing time."

Silence.

"Fuana seems to be warming up too," He forced a chuckle so she could hear it.

She just hummed in response. "Link, there is something very serious I must talk to you about." Butterflies escaped her ribcage. He hummed in acceptance as she watched his ripples reach her side of the boulder. "I have been meaning to discuss this with you for a while now, and I apologize for delaying it since you may appreciate the peace of mind."

The water's energy shifted from warm serenity to boiling discomfort. She took a deep breath and pretended to think aloud. "These past few days have been very frightening to say the least, and although I thought it to be a good idea at first, I find my withholding of information to be very detrimental to our companionship. You should never keep secrets from an ally, especially when they begin creating their own perception of events."

He must have caught on to where she was going, and made a sound for her to stop.

"You must know the truth, Link. It is unfair for you to go on with the wrong idea in your head," She closed her eyes and scrunched her face tightly as she constructed her next sentences. "With all my wounds, and the twisted truth from that creature's slanderous mouth, I fully understand why your eyes scream in torture when you look at me in some lights. You think I was –"

"Don't." He raised his voice at her, the water sloshing around. She imagined he was covering his ears like a child afraid to hear a dirty word.

She showed compassion in her tone but was not going to let him cower away from acknowledging an unspeakable fear. "You think that I was raped in that castle...do you not?"

He hated how nonchalant she was with such a word, and grumbled in a disorientated rage.

"Does it bother you that I spoke a word of your fears into reality?" She said.

"Yes!" He made the water feel cold with his simmering vexation as he relived the first moment he saw her cut and bruised. "I swore to protect you and I couldn't! And that _thing_ – I can't stop imagining him touching and grabbing on you, making you hurt while I can do nothing about it!"

His voice was pained and she longed to hold him. He sighed and grunted all at once, trying to shove the thoughts away, and with newfound poise, Zelda peeked out behind the boulder which separated them. Link was avoiding her stare, jaw clenched tightly and dark brows hidden behind wild wet hair.

"Link," she caught his attention even though he didn't look at her directly, "I was not raped, I promise you."

She saw his cheeks relax and eyes relieve from the truth. He turned to her and leaned forward, searching her face for any tell of her words being a lie to bring him ease. "Y-You weren't?" He asked, almost afraid this was a farce to trick him.

She smile, the ache in her chest diminishing. "No, I was not. In all honesty, I think the doppelganger finds me to be a disgusting creature unworthy for that punishment. All he says and does is to stir an extreme emotion within you, but within reason." Zelda felt the sickening in her gut from phantom hands, but she pushed it away.

He looked down. "It feels like that thing can get into my head...Like it knows me better than I know myself."

Princess Zelda moved forward so they were both hidden behind the boulder as she gasped, "Do not think like that! You are not capable of being as monstrous as that interloper!"

He pressed his lips into a thin line. She recalled when Dark stated that he knew every thought and dream Link has had, and this reaction gave the statement weight. He felt guilty because the creature knew secrets hidden deep within his mind; of his silent wishes spoken when no one was around in a drunken rage. She could not judge him for having thoughts from the past that he regretted – she had her own that still plagued her today.

Zelda hoped he didn't still hold those ill wishes against her now. "Link," she spoke without thinking.

His face perked back up and mouth hung slightly agape.

She gently ran her wet fingers over her lips in careful thought. "Why did you...Why did you kiss me?" She questioned in genuine wonder.

His face lit up in a flustered pink that reached the tips of his pointed ears, taken aback by the question. The Hero's eyes were the size of the moon who laughed at the woe of mortals down below. He stuttered, "I-I'm sorry, I know it wasn't appropriate at all it was just – I don't know what came over me."

 _So it was a reaction of passion_ , she sighed to herself.

"I hope it wasn't too awful; I promise to never do it again!" He assured, holding his hands up before she casted him a sharp glower.

"No." she turned away to brush off the intenseness of her previous action. "I would not mind if you did it again."

He gasped and she cleared her throat, face and body reflecting his same shade of rouge. "W-What did you say?"

She tried to stay calm and professional, not really sure how one would handle these situations. It was a mystery to her how her mother had so many inamoratos if it took this much stress. "I would like a kiss from you again...if you do not mind," She requested like he was providing a service, "D-Do you mind?"

The tension was thicker than the steam.

He shook his head no and she turned to face him, unsure what to do with her hands and body as he gingerly leaned forward and pushed a strand of damp hair behind her ear. His eyes were so focused on her small mouth, and his eyebrows relaxed with the expression a painter held while working on a piece. She gasped when his strong hand lingered delicately on her jaw as he inquired, "Are you sure this is okay?"

She hummed in permission. It was still the day of the festival, no rules or manners dictated her – she was just Zelda. Her breath quickened as he moved closer until their lips brushed against one another gently. She yearned for his kiss so badly, she felt ready to burst! With a careful movement, he pressed his lips against hers in an embrace so intoxicating she felt drunk. It was tender and soft unlike before, and her eyes fluttered shut as instinct took over.

Zelda's hand found his knee beneath the water and she placed it there for balance as his mouth moved in slow motions, and heat like she had never felt before burned inside her stomach. A sound of pleasure escaped from deep within her throat; he must have felt the same intense feeling for the noise appeared to make his kisses quicken. Her heart was ready to leap from her chest and she felt ready to faint from the foreign emotions blossoming inside her. His scent, his touch, his taste, all of it was drowning her in a much accepted flood. His hand dropped down to grab her shoulders as she felt a strange invitation on her lower lip. She accepted the deepening of the kiss as she went to wrap her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist, pulling her close so they were chest to chest.

What started as a simple kiss was now a whirlwind of things she had never experienced before, and the feeling of his skin against hers was like a match being lit. Another gasp slipped from between them, and out of fear of what her body would do next, Zelda broke their kiss. They looked into one another's eyes, gasping for air from the ardor of their action and the thick heat of the hot spring. Her face was sweltering, and maybe she would regret this moment tomorrow out of prudence, but today it was one of the best memories she had.

She released him, and he her; moving back in their own special spaces.

He blushed, wondering if that was what she wanted.

"Yes, thank you," she smiled, "Something pleasant to take my mind off of everything that has happened so far."

He tried to assure her that everything would be alright, and she envied his optimism. It was then that the stairs to the hot spring began to creak once more. Link and Zelda went white in fear as they heard four different female voices grow louder as they ascended.

"Y-You can not be seen here!" Zelda helped him find his discarded clothing, "It is a criminal offense to be indecent before a Princess of Hyrule, especially without a chaperone! Impaz takes this very seriously!"

He jumped when they sounded so near.

"H-Hide! I shall distract them so you can get away!" She pushed his hat and tunic in his arms and ran to greet the new guests.

Link ducked behind another boulder as she stood at the top of the stairs with a guilty smile, hair covering most of her upper wrappings. Ilia, Telma, and Ashei stopped and looked at her oddly, all with towels in their hands and wreaths still in their hair.

"Lovely night for a dip, correct?" She smiled.

They eyed her before exchanging glances at the forwardness of the usually reserved princess.

Impaz shoved past the three, flailing her arms shouting, "Damn it child, wear a towel! Do you want all of Hyrule to see you!"

"I am sorry, I meant to get back in immediately. Please, allow me to show you all a very interesting...rock!" She lead them away from where Link hid.

"A...rock?" Telma raised a thin brow.

"Princess, are you feeling okay?" Ilia went to check her temperature but Zelda stepped back again so they would move forward.

"I-I am just fine." She watched as Link snuck behind them and bolted down the stairs. She sighed in relief.

"Good," Ashei began undressing, "Because we have a lot to do tomorrow."

Telma appeared shocked before bursting into a fit of giggles, "You're training with her? Oh bless you dear."

The other two undressed as well before entering the spring, beginning a series of gossip-exchanging and social discussion. Princess Zelda just listened as they went about chittering, interested in what they called "woman talk" but not quite ready to partake in such games. She just smiled the whole time, content and easy at the memory within her pink lips.

…

Little did the Princess know that as she sighed in the caring embrace of a budding romance, a dark pact was being made amongst a common foe. That two enemies from a simpler time were joining their greatest threat. With his new position at the head of the invasion, Dark earned himself allies who willingly flung their loyalty to him the moment he entered the castle. The whiny lord of a pure bred family and trio of false prophets bowed lowly to him as he sat on the throne with his legs thrown over leisurely. They assured him there was a lot they could do in his favor, especially when summer ends, and this made him sigh with the same amount of twisted pleasure.

* * *

 **Was this chapter interesting or what ;)  
**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **MechanicalReader, Ultimate blazer, Lollie. T. M, Ripple, Generala, Kersplunk, Donald J. Trump, and Arietta Serenade**

 **You all had so very interesting theories about the next Goddess and her personality! Many of you mentioned Link and Zelda's relationship ( Ultimate blazer, Lollie. T. M, and Generala) as well as Zelda's growth as a character (Ripple). You all bring some very fascinating insight to the table, thank you for sharing!**

 **Alright my lovelies, it's late and I have a cold so I won't bore you too long :)**

 **My lovely editor who just had a birthday ( love ya doll): SunnyAirisu222**

 **Please R &R if you can, stay hydrated, and look both ways before crossing the road 3**

 **See ya!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Hello my lovelies! I would like to take a moment to thank all of you so much for getting this story to 100+ reviews! My heart leaps with joy to know that all of you are enjoying this as much as I am! You guys are the best!  
**

 **Now without further ado!**

* * *

The festival was – hands down – a success, and the next day was humming with merriment from the event. Kakariko awoke with a well rested sigh when it saw the ground damp from a late night drizzle, leaving the air earthy and thick. The refugees worked together to clean up the mess from yesterday, before opening up whatever business or occupation they made for themselves here. Princess Zelda watched them work and adapt pleasantly, happy that the few bad apples of the group straightened up so not to ruin the peace for the other inhabitants.

She joined the Council meeting, eagerly wanting to do all she could to keep this enthusiasm high. When she entered, the members arose from their seats at the table and bowed respectfully, Alger noting her arrival and instructing when the meeting began. Shaman Renado, Mayor Bo, Earl Kemp, Viscount Osmar, and Counselor Fane waited for her to be seated before following in step, while Impaz and the Resistance sat in chairs away from the main table. The Princess kept her hands in her lap as she began with a newfound confidence in her abilities. "First order of business: How does Kakariko fair as a home for Hyrule's refugees?"

Shaman Renado answered for his village, "Attitudes have significantly improved from the feast day, and with the Eldin Virgins' attempts, we have a more secure source of food."

"Definitely," Mayor Bo pitched in, "We even have Ordonian pumpkins planted, which is a hearty squash able to feed many and be replanted easily. While we can't go hunting for fear of enemies, this is as good as food will get."

Telma rose her hand as a representative for the Resistance. Zelda nodded for her to speak. "We've also had a sharp increase in recruits for the guards Your Majesty."

Zelda was handed a parchment scribbled with two pages worth of names. "Hm, is that so?" This many young men ready to offer up their sword to defend their nation? These were true Hylian guards, not the cowards from the castle. "Has my Sergeant seen this?"

Telma nodded, "Sergeant Sutter was the one who gathered the names. He hopes to help with the training process."

"The Resistance is practically Captain of the Guard now; if you find his presence useful, then I allow it." The monarch turned to Telma who smiled with a nod.

Earl Kemp, possibly not pleased with the decision to indirectly make the vigilante group head of the military, spoke up. "With this new increase in battle-ready men and women, we were able to form patrol groups that scout short distances around the village. Some have even taken down small enemy camps."

"That is good to hear," Princess Zelda raised her brows, "Lady Ashei?"

"The Earl is right. We haven't reclaimed any hunting grounds yet, or anything of use, but we are fighting back with our homegrown troops while we...wait for these _supreme_ soldiers." She rolled her eyes at the Lord which made him scowl and make obscene gestures at her.

Princess Zelda cleared her throat in annoyance with their childish bickers. Ashei and Earl Kemp did not agree, she kept that in mind. She opened her mouth to speak, but a loud sneeze stole her attention. Turning to her left, she saw Link standing in a corner with a red nose and tired eyes as he continued to sneeze into the crook of his elbow.

"Bless you." She murmured, and when he looked up at her, a feverish pink was slapped across his face.

"Poor guy, did you bathe in ice water or something?" Rusl furrowed his brows as Link went white.

Princess Zelda chuckled to herself but felt a twang of guilt. He must've caught a cold sneaking away from the Hot Spring last night after their...interesting activities. She fought back a flush as the memory was still fresh in her mind.

"Anything else?" She almost sang with a large unhidden smile which unnerved her audience. Immediately she trained her face to return to an unmoving fortress; slightly hurt that her grin made them wary.

"Actually yes," Mayor Bo motioned for the quiet guest to stand beside him, "Elric would like to add something."

"You may begin," Princess Zelda motioned for him to speak.

The brunet cleared his throat and hid his hands behind the back of his tawny coat with rows of copper buttons. He trembled from the eyes watching him, "Y-Your Majesty, I wish to bring to your attention that establishing commerce is a lot easier now that the Gorons were allowed back into the village. I was able to begin the formation of a very infant Merchants' Guild for our people and the vendors the Goron tribe. We now have access to the materials used to produce basic armor for our growing military."

Princess Zelda leaned back, impressed by his drive and resourcefulness. "That was an intelligent decision, the Council thanks you."

He smiled in relief, "T-Thank you Your Highness."

She glanced at the floor in thought before speaking again, "Elric, we need someone to manage commerce here in Council Nohansen. How would you like an official position here on the table?"

He lit up in careful joy. "I-I'd love that!"

"All in favor?" Princess Zelda glanced around.

All five of the members gave out a loud, "Yay."

Alger approached the young man and handed both him and the Princess a quill so they could sign him into the official documents. Mayor Bo chuckled, "Maybe with this new rank you could convince Ilia to come in here and help represent Ordon."

Elric paused awkwardly, "Uhhh, she doesn't really like politics – making big decisions that affect groups makes her nervous."

Mayor Bo frowned, his sharp mustache drooping in disappointment. "Do not worry," Zelda tried to make him feel better, "I am sure she will accept the position soon, but for now, her work within the community is very helpful."

"I suppose so Your Highness." He didn't seem too confident.

"Princess Zelda," Rusl raised his arm, "I don't mean to step back, but Ashei and I were planning to attempt overtaking larger enemy camps with our forces in the Eldin Province until the whole region is ours."

"That sounds very ambitious," She held an air of fear and doubt in their abilities.

"It would be slow, of course. We hope to take it at a reasonable pace. No unnecessary casualties." He tried to convince her but the word casualties sent a chill up her spine.

"I trust your abilities Sir Rusl, so I give you permission as long as you practice extreme caution," She thought to add, "Do not forget, the simple folk require training as well."

"They are still a high priority, Your Highness." He assured her.

She massaged the back of her neck that tightened in strain. "Next matter then. These divine children; there's one left."

Auru rose his hand up this time to speak, "Have you tried speaking to the Goron?"

"Yes, but they have neither a spiritual stone nor a child." She sighed, "It seems we have been finding them by accident anyways, but that is no good."

Counselor Fane attempted to cheer up the Princess by saying, "Well she has to be somewhere in the Eldin Province, right? It only makes sense."

She chuckled out of stress, "But since when has the will of the Gods made sense? We'll keeping searching; meeting adjourned."

When she stood, they stood, stretching and leaving the Sanctuary to begin their daily tasks. Shaman Renado and the Resistance remained as he began to light incense and compiled a basket of food for the Priestesses who called the underground their home.

"Are they happy down there?" Zelda questioned.

The Shaman shrugged, "They refuse to stay anywhere else, so I suppose so. They get along for the most part, what with different virtues and beliefs."

The monarch nodded before turning to Link who lit up the moment their eyes met. He smiled oddly before noticing Ashei approaching and waved farewell. Princess Zelda's brows furrowed, what an odd response from him. Was he...embarrassed? Was that why he didn't stay around her too much longer, because she reminded him of last night? She heated up in doubt, she had practically forced him to kiss her, what if he didn't like it at all! She tried to shrug it off;he was probably feeling shy, not sickened.

"Princess." Ashei pulled her back with a tap on the shoulder. "Come to the cemetery whenever you're ready to start your training."

"Oh," She nearly forgot, "Of course, I shall be there shortly."

…

"There you go," Impaz crossed her arms triumphantly.

The Princess slowly looked down at her knuckles now bound in a white gauze, and rubbed over the thick material that stuck to her like a second skin. She stood up from the stool and ambled around the room, stretching and curling her toes within foreign shoes. She felt naked without her grey and white skirt, but the flexibility that came from its absence was impressive.

Impaz gave her a hand-mirror so she could better see herself. The garb was dark like a midnight sky and made her skin glow like moonlight against it. She would not wear the headpiece during the day, and because of the mostly dark colors, her eyes appeared a deep navy. She placed her hand against the breast bindings around her chest that squeezed her ribs if she inhaled too hard. She frowned, "I look like a man."

The elder snickered, "I never took you as vain."

"It is not vanity, just…" she touched her hips and waist with the image of the Hylian woman at the festival in mind, "I was never blessed with voluptuous curves and now...Well, I look like a twelve-year-old boy."

"Don't be ridiculous," Impaz smiled, "How about this, I'll loosen them up next time. That way it keeps the padding in place without making you insecure." She poked Zelda's behind playfully.

"Many thanks," The monarch played with the tattered heraldry on her chest, "I shall be off then."

Impaz waved her off. "Play nice with the other kids!" She began to fake sniffle, "They grow up so fast."

Princess Zelda chuckled at the silly woman, exiting her room and descending down the stairs when an interesting sound reached her ears.

"Take that, beast!" Colin shouted from inside the children's room. The door was slightly ajar, and in simple curiosity, she peered in. The room had many beds and cots everywhere, toys and pillows scattered. Colin and the other Ordon children (minus the business savvy Malo) were dressed up with wooden swords and shields, striking down pillows and straw men. Talo was dressed in a discarded costume from yesterday and jumped from bed to bed, stalking his prey as they ran around. Naru had her slingshot, and Beth an oak sword as they battled imaginary monsters as Colin dueled the bouncy imp.

"Princess," Colin pretended to struggle, "I – Link, the Hero of Twilight – will protect you! Take down the horde, I'll defeat the beast!"

"Okay!" Both Beth and Naru cheered before pausing their fantasy to glare daggers at one another.

Beth scrunched her nose and whined, " _I_ get to be Princess Zelda!"

"No way," Naru put her hands on her hips, "I've got a slingshot, I get to be the Princess!"

Zelda's eyes widened at the fascinating development. She was flattered – did children really pretend to be her? Her face warmed up beside the kindling flame of gratitude.

Colin paled in fear of the tension brewing. He tried to mediate but was shut down by harsh snaps from the girls.

"My sword looks like hers. I made it – you're borrowing your toy." Beth smirked, slicing the air with her fake sword.

Naru growled and shot Talo's helmet with a pumpkin seed. "Hey!" He shouted, removing the mask to check for injuries. He too was ignored.

"At least I actually know how to use mine." Zelda heard the taunting hum of sticking your tongue out.

Beth just looked smug as she ran her fingers through her chestnut locks and lowered her lashes into a kittenish expression. "I'm pretty like a princess."

"Pretty ugly!" Naru roared at her unoriginal – but in her mind, clever – comeback. They started bickering louder and Zelda covered her mouth. Was playing her character really that important to them? She felt honored, if not concerned by how passionate they were becoming.

"Hey!" Luda must have been on the other side of the door. "Why can't you both be Princess Zelda?"

The two gawked at her like she was an idiot. "You can't have two Zelda's," Beth rolled her eyes.

"Well if you two don't stop fighting I'll bring Miss Ilia into this." Luda replied threateningly. The girls snapped into shape with some diplomatic agreement and hurried to continue play. The Shaman's daughter exhaled thankfully; she heard the squeaking of chairs against the floorboards. "As I was saying, Fuana," her voice smiled, "My father is Shaman Renado. He's a healer and spiritual leader here in Kakariko."

"M-My papa is a scientist. He's dabbled in herbology, i-it's very interesting." Fuana's sound trailed off nervously. The princess was grateful, both girls were similar in maturity and personality – Luda would no doubt be an excellent friend to the otherwise introverted girl. Maybe she would ease her out of her shell.

"Really? Have you considered working with Doctor Borville in the medical clinic? Our natural remedies can only do so much, and he could use the help," she paused, "Almost everyone has a job here, you should consider it – unless you have anything else in mind?"

Fuana plainly responded, "I'm getting a patent."

Luda released one of those uncomfortable noises of amusement you make when you have no idea what the other person said, and are hoping it isn't a question. Zelda appreciated the politeness. "So," she started back up, "What do you think of Princess Zelda?"

The grown woman nearly banged her head against the door as she tried to listen in closer. Her heart quivered in inquietude – she should not care about a twelve-year-old's opinion as much as she did. She could hear the rustling of fabric from uneasy hands holding back.

Fuana spoke in an even softer whisper than usual, "She's very intimidating."

 _Intimidating?_ Zelda frowned, a miniscule wound on her esteem. She was not menacing! She turned to stare at the men sitting at the bar across the room, they were ogling her oddly until she visually confronted them, to which they cowarded away.

Luda giggled, "Yeah, I can see why you feel that way, but believe me, she just has a serious face. You'd be stolid too if your life was anything like hers."

The Princess unconsciously balled her fists in fearful reaction: What was she going to say – what gossips would she twist into reality? She was fraught and offended; no one had the right to speak of her insecurities – be allowed to laugh at them any longer. Fuana made a curious sound without the scratching of her pen on paper. Should she intervene before the tabloids began?

"Life hasn't been fair to our Princess…" Luda spoke in methodical whispers, and Zelda softened. This girl was not the crowd.

"H-How so?" Fuana held interest.

"Well, Shaman attended many meetings in the castle, so these tales come from him," she disclaimed, "Imagine being born not only into the strongest family in Hyrule, but with enemies all because of a birthmark. Her father was heir to the throne until she was born, and her grandmother raised her to be the next queen. Neither of her parents tried to take care of her; her mother was so out of the picture, we've only just discovered she died years ago. The Princess had no time for a childhood or friends, and when she was old enough to ascend to the throne, the Twili Invasion happened. When it was finished, her father came back from a trip only to find Hyrule recovering, and did the unthinkable. He manipulated the council into revoking her birthwright under the claim she was mentally unstable."

Fuana gasped in disbelief, "But she's fine."

She could practically hear Luda shake her head. "Have you ever seen the princess stare at nothing for minutes at a time? Or get angry or sad randomly."

"U-Um," Fuana pondered, "You know, at dinner sometimes she'll focus a lot of her attention cutting up meat until it's mush before excusing herself to her room. And at night I can hear her shouting and tossing in her sleep...N-Now that I think about it, I've seen her just wander around her room like she was trying to hide from something, looking everywhere like a cornered animal. I just thought she lost an item she needed to find."

"She has warrior's heart. Ghosts from the battlefield visit her sometimes."

"That sounds horrible." Fuana struggled.

"It only gets worse. Four times she was called to trial to defend her title, each time her father claiming she locked herself away and refused to come out. By the fifth summons, she finally attended but in a zombie-like state – she didn't even know where she was and attacked a member of the guard. They say the invasion scarred her mind, but Shaman thinks it was more sinister. He was there for her trials, and once he was lost within the never-ending halls when he heard a strange noise. There was a struggle before a door slammed, and following the sound, he saw a staircase; and at the top of the tower echoes the scratching and pounding of someone wanting to be freed – screaming in hope someone would hear. He's convinced His Royal Highness was purposefully isolating her so she would be labeled as deranged, and he would overrule her birthright."

Tears quivered from the memory.

"H-Her father did that?" Fuana shifted, unable to comprehend the concept, "I could never imagine – what about love? Didn't he love her; why would he do such a thing to his own daughter?!"

"Shaman says love is a blessing for the common people. Monarchs have too much at stake to care for that. Love to them is uniting kingdoms and resources through formal documents and marriage between strangers." Luda responded with a level-head.

Never had Zelda heard such truths escape a child's mouth so honestly. She hoped Fuana would not be too sad by the notion – she knew no other life to be depressed by it. Her grandmother married a man she never loved, and her parents were unified for land rights and face.

"You're not from here," Luda assumed, "So now you know why Princess Zelda can seem cold. But if Naru likes her so much, you shouldn't worry."

At the sound of her own name, the blue child stepped away from her play to join the conversation. She gave a toothy grin, "Are you talking about the Princess? She's the best! You should see how funny she acts around Big Brother– you're not jealous are you Fuana?"

The group laughed and Zelda's face sizzled. She did not act funny around him!

Fuana stuttered in embarrassment, "N-No I–" She stopped her speech and began making troubled noises. She began to hyperventilate, and the others ran to try and help soothe her panics.

"Are you okay?!" Luda fearfully asked, standing up and moving to the door, blocking Zelda's view. "Should we get the Shaman?"

"V-V-Voices!" The preteen cried, "Why am I hearing voices! They're so loud – Am I going mad?"

The Princess gasped, ready to barge in until Naru softly said, "Stop." There was a thump of knees hitting the floor, and moving to look through the hinges, she saw Naru kneeling in front of Fuana and holding her hands with a caring smile. "I hear them too," Naru spoke in soothing babbles like brook water. To this Fuana turned her head up and squeezed her hands together harder.

"Y-You do?" She sounded desperate, "Are we s-sick?"

Naru giggled but not obnoxiously. "No...I've heard them for a while, but after the Festival, they've started to change. Listen to them."

Fuana faltered, not sure if she was ready to take advice that sounded so

detrimental. Naru closed her eyes and hearkened to whatever seemed to flow between them. Zelda even tried to hear whatever they sound they were tuned into, with no success.

"T-They're…" Fuana swallowed her stutter, "They're talking...to Farore." She ended with a hint of questioning.

The child shook their hands in agreement. "I was able to figure it out. They're prayers."

Luda and the other children glanced amongst one another, feeling left out and confused on what they should be doing. Now Zelda saw what her peers did, growing up – how could they help someone experiencing something they would never encounter?

"But wh-why? What can I do, I can't fix any of their problems or grant wishes!" Fuana was quickly becoming overwhelmed and frustrated, shaking her head of short olive locks.

Naru shrugged, "You're right, we can't. But I think...maybe just listening and acknowledging them will be enough for now. Eventually we should be able to find _some_ way to help."

Princess Zelda smiled at her answer.

"Wait!" Fuana stood up, "Someone is...very sad. I can feel it – it hurts so much...His daughter is sick."

Zelda heard a soft sniffle behind her, and to her amazement, a man was hunched over at a table, hiding his face from the rest of the Inn. His long shaggy hair covered his face, but his hands appeared jointed. When he let out a harsh sigh, so would Fuana, until they were both shivering in unison.

Naru frowned, "They should go away in a little while. Some are more intense then others but you could–"

"No!" Fuana quickly turned and held her face in shock. "H-He needs medicine – his daughter is sick but the clinic ran out. I-I know how to make it!"

"What are you going to do?" Luda asked her, but Fuana was already bolting for the door.

"I-I can't let his daughter die!" She threw the door open and almost ran into the Princess. She and Fuana shared a quick glance, but she was so gustful with determination that she had no time to show cowardice to her superior. Princess Zelda's brows furrowed gently as Fuana pushed past people with a loud energy about her as she cried out, "Doctor Borville!"

"Oh, hi Princess!" Naru grinned, unaware of how long her guest was standing there. "Cool costume."

"Why was Fuana in such a hurry, little one?" She was curious to hear her answer and ignored her unintentionally rude comment.

Naru grinned proudly. "I think she is going to be helping out at the clinic. Maybe she can supply me with those sweets the doctor gives after check ups – he's banned me from going in everyday!" She laughed.

Zelda raised a brow in curiosity. Deflecting the subject with humor and a water-downed explanation – She had the looks of a diplomat yet.

"I see." The Princess nodded, wishing Naru farewell before heading to the Cemetery.

…

The sweet smell of metal and sweat was so poignant, even the dead held their noses. The stench was gross, yet very nostalgic for the Princess as she entered the cemetery, holding her elbows as she felt almost self-conscious of her new garb. No one had noticed her, not the men who sparred with one another as their friends cheered them on, nor the recruits barely receiving their first blades. Things seemed pretty crammed, practice dummies lined walls and weapon racks took up a lot of space – the tombstones seemed like places people wanted to avoid. It felt very inappropriate to have training done here, but maybe that was the point – reminding their soldiers of mortality and the destination of bad decisions. Desperate times call for desperate measures, she supposed.

When the first few boys saw her out the corner of their eyes, they widened in disbelief. Zelda saw the way they looked her over, trying to piece together why she wore these new strange clothes and what she was doing here. They called the attention of their friends and those friends told their friends until they were all just gawking at her. She could practically read their thoughts – "what was the princess doing here" or " what's with the outfit". Maybe the lower half of her body looked weird? Her legs were always hidden behind a skirt, so maybe that's why they just stared.

"Oi!" A familiar voice called out to the men and they dropped their focus to the space in front of them. Ashei ambled to the Princess but didn't look at her, only measured the attention of her soldiers attentively. "I thought you were men, not dogs! Go fetch a bone."

"Yes Ma'am!" They gathered their belongings and left the cemetery in great haste, only a few brave souls glancing back before having a rock thrown at them.

"Sorry," she said so flatly Zelda questioned the genuineness of it, "They weren't really acting like dogs. I like to keep them on their toes though, it's funny."

"Quite." The Princess uncrossed her arms.

"Shall we begin then?"

Zelda nodded, but was still bothered by a question. "What exactly are you training me in, Lady Ashei?"

"Your clothes," she pointed out, "You are so used to fighting with a dress on, but it's so inefficient for close combat. That's what I'll be teaching you. To get used to having your legs exposed as well as your battle style...maybe even more." She placed her metal clad hands on her hips.

Zelda wasn't sure what that implied, but she accepted it anyway.

"And just so you know," Ashei added, "The moment you take up your blade, you are no longer my Princess. Everything that happens here happens to another one of my grunts, no special treatment."

She frowned, "I would not want it any other way."

Ashei nodded, and thus their lessons began.

It was...strange to say the least. Growing up, Zelda had many tutors in the art of battle, but none like the woman before her. First she was given a blade – not her estoc, but the short one gifted to her by Impaz the night before. It was light yet thick in her palm, so airy that it made her nervous to even hold it. It felt ready to fly away if she wasn't careful. It was the timidness that she was scolded for so often – either that, or her "Inability to focus".

"You fight like a dancer, light on your feet but far too showy. You've told me where you plan to strike without even moving your blade." Ashei groaned, buckling Zelda's foot so she widened her stance and stepped on the spot behind her knee till she lowered. "Now try again."

Zelda attempted to side-step but stumbled on a rock. No wait, that was Ashei's foot again. "Will you–"

"Balance is the key Zelda, keep that steady base as you move."

She tried again, but this time continued through with the attack on the dummy despite stumbling on another boot. Placing the blade on her forearm, she slashed at the wheat throat of her opponent, triumphant until she felt an odd poke on her abdomen. The tip of a broomstick was wedged in her side.

Ashei set it down and said, "He would have stabbed you first."

Zelda didn't believe her, but wouldn't argue.

"Try it with me instead." Ashei readied her broomstick.

The princess did, but before she even lunged forward, the wood jabbed her shoulder.

"You lean back before you move. Don't do that." Ashei returned to a fighting stance. "Right foot, left foot, all one movement, don't think about it." Zelda did just that, but received a smack on the top of the head. She cursed and grabbed her throbbing skull, tears in eyes. "Keep your eyes on me."

A frustrated anger bubbled within, and she released it with her next attempt at the attack with no avail. It seemed to only give her away more. She groaned to herself.

"I've noticed that you fight with your emotions rather than mind, and I can't say I blame you for truly expressing yourself on the battlefield when you spend your whole life trying to lock them away – but there's a certain balance you need have." Ashei lowered her broom.

"What do you mean?"

The brown eyes of guidance pondered this. "You killed your first man as a child, no?"

Princess Zelda's jaw tightened.

"I am not trying to cast judgement, it's for an example. You did it to defend your grandmother, someone you loved and cared for, right?"

She was not mistaken.

"War stirs within people a lot of emotion, it charges our blade and gives our men morale, but if you have no one worth fighting for, what's the point? Try and think of someone to survive for, rather than your rage or sadness."

"Survive...for?" The princess blushed.

Ashei nodded, "Everytime I go out there I think of Shad. And if I don't take down those creatures, I'll never be able to see him again. That's where I get my power without becoming reckless."

"I suppose...there is someone," Zelda ran her fingers against her lips in memory, a warmth filling her.

Ashei nodded, "Then you fight for that person."

The Princess resumed her stance and attempted the same series of repetition, trying her hardest to enter the state of mind her instructor spoke of. It didn't seem to work – she still made errors and felt no form of power in mentally speaking his name. Why would she ever want to associate her beloved Hero with an act as gruesome as battle? He was far too pure of a creature to associate with the act of taking a life to spare your own.

The silent observer caught on to her unease and spoke up, "Think about the life you wish to have with them after the battle."

"I understand," Zelda dropped her arm down and weighed the small blade in her hand thoughtfully.

"You used to compete, didn't you?" Ashei wondered.

"As a youth, yes."

"Fencing is nothing like true war, and although you have partaken in a few fights to the death and succeeded, I'm not sure if you really know the mentality that it takes to make a warrior." Ashei was not trying to sound mean, nor did it come across that way.

Zelda stood straight, "I suppose not. I just assumed your types had a burning drive for battle."

A smirk cut across her stiff face. "For some, yes. Most aren't built for fighting, but we still try because there's something worth fighting for. You and I are lucky though, we have an unfair advantage over the others."

"How so?"

"I know I'm human, and will die long before Shad even sprouts grey hair, but I accept that and am still willing to lay down my life for him." Ashei crossed her arms and suppressed a naughty smile. "Would you die to protect Link?"

Zelda lit up like a cherry and widened her eyes until they threatened to pop out. So she knew. Ever so carefully she ran the question through her mind again. Would she?

"I would die to protect any of my people." She answered, but Ashei was having none of it.

"Be honest, if you had the option, would you take a blade for him?"

The very thought made her shudder in discomfort. She spoke without thinking, "Yes."

"When you live for someone else you are always ready to take on an enemy, because no matter the outcome you are secure that you gave your all. You have to be his Hero."

Zelda tried not to chuckle at the idea, but it made her think. "I would do anything for him...I _can_ do anything for him."

"Then let's see you nail this move for him." Ashei prepared her broom behind the straw dummy and waited. Princess Zelda closed her eyes, bending her knees and feeling the fabric stretch and contract around her body. She pictured Link, his warm smile and caring eyes that shimmered like spring water in the sun. This enemy is what stood between her and seeing him again, even if it is one last time. She exhaled, holding her short blade up and opening her eyes. Right then left, two blue orbs staring straight into two buttons – one swift movement like poetry in motion. She landed the killing strike, and even blocked the incoming club with her free hand.

"Excellent." Ashei clapped, filling Zelda with a strange sense of pride in herself. It has been a long time since an instructor praised her. From that point on, they continued practicing, this time thankfully moving on to something new like footwork and finally her estoc. Sweat was beginning to appear in places she didn't even know could collect moisture, and the Sheikah garb was slowly becoming more and more comfortable to use. She discovered when it came to sharp movements like jumps and rolls, it was optimal and helpful. Her footing took some time getting used to; she was so accustomed to having her legs concealed, which was why discrete steps were hard for her.

The day seemed to drag on until the sun was high above them and drained the energy out of both their bodies. After hours of training Ashei called a lunch break, and the two ate in silence. The Princess and her instructor were very similar in that they would rather not speak if they didn't have to, and she appreciated that. She took dainty bites of bread and sat on a blank tombstone (after asking the dead their permission, of course), but Ashei wasted no time scarfing down the meal and slurping her drink. Princess Zelda turned away to avoid the pet peeve of messy eating to study the cemetery more, now that she had spent so long there. She knew Zora royalty was buried here, and noticed that area was partially blocked off in respect. She frowned at Queen Rutella's grave, remembering the vigil held for her after the invasion. The way then Prince Ralis weeped and the Zoras sang their songs of mourning in their native tongue.

They killed her to make a point, and all because she let them. It was unreasonable to hold blame for something she couldn't have foreseen. It was a waste of time too, but that didn't stop her mind from playing a game of 'what if'. She peeled her eyes away from the elegant tombstone and sighed, setting her bread down in her lap. A sharp burn ran across her skin, and turning her hand over she saw a small cut on her palm just below her thumb begin to bleed slightly.

She must have accidentally cut herself during the training and not noticed. Most would have just blotted the blood away and wrapped the wound, but Zelda – Zelda just stared at it. Her muscles tensed and blood pounded in her ears as her finger twitched nervously. She could see the black masses sliver on the horizon, taste the bitter shout on her tongue ready to call out to the boy standing in front of her, so young and full of life.

He was in her arms, bleeding out, and she could do nothing about it but watch as the life drains from his eyes.

" _Not again! Not again!"_ She whimpered out in both memory and reality.

Ashei watched in keen interest as the princess moved her hands like she was wiping something invisible out of the air in a frantic cycle. She couldn't see what Zelda was experiencing, couldn't see the blood all over her hands and face as she tried to bring back the dead. But Zelda could. That was all she could see.

 _The sun held the rose in a firm embrace, beckoning her to release her wilted flower. But he was so young. No seedling should be alone – he can't die here alone!_

Princess Zelda shouted for the phantoms to leave her be with the dying child in her arms, hands cold from his limp body. Her lungs were on fire, and when the ghosts disappeared, they still burned. She whimpered as the stressful fear finished its rampage and left her with the images branded into her consciousness. Her breathing leveled, and she hoped Ashei had seen none of it – that was very unlikely.

"I-I am sorry." Zelda stood, wanting nothing more than to be alone – the colors were still too bright, sounds clamorously annoying, and her emotions seemed ready combust like dynamite. Ashei snatched her wrist and tethered her down like an anchor.

"What did you see?" Her green-gold gauntlet wasn't going to slacken until Zelda gave up her attempt at fleeing.

She stopped fighting but looked away, hoping to hide behind the bound hair that framed her face. "I would rather not speak of it," She choked, the very thought made her woeful.

Ashei released Zelda's arm and grabbed the blade on her hip, unsheathing the long rapier and tilting her head. "Come, spar with me," she beckoned, not caring which blade Zelda used. The trainee gingerly complied, returning the short blade to its sheath behind her back, and summoning her old-friend, the estoc. "You really shouldn't give in to the ghosts." Ashei lunged forward with a jab that Zelda was just able to dodge. She was lucky.

She felt vexed by the message. "You speak as if I have a choice." Zelda blocked an incoming slash and retaliated with her own strike. Ashei quickly recovered and pushed herself forward until their blades clashed in a sharp bang as they fought against one another, their swords in a tall 'x'.

"There's...always a choice." She grunted out, arms shaking as she looked Zelda in the eyes.

Brown met blue in a dangerous game. Zelda exhaled roughly as she tried to hold her ground. "I did not choose to be this way Lady Ashei!" She growled in frustration, her rage boiling hot. Her instructor eventually had the upper hand and shoved the princess away, wasting no time slicing toward her abodemen before Zelda jumped like an agile cat on top a tombstone.

Ashei went for her feet, and Zelda jumped down to evade it. The warrior just kept coming with strike after strike. "Do you see the faces of your dead comrades?"

Zelda snapped, "Cease!" and parried the incoming blow to begin her own series of offensive moves. "...You are entering dangerous territory."

"I'm sure you regret surviving after they all died," Ashei surprised her by landing a punch on the jaw with her free hand, "–crying all the time for them."

The Princess held her face and felt ridiculed for the last time. She spat out, "You have no idea what I went through!" She allowed her wrath to fuel her limbs as her strikes became more and more frantic and berserk. "How could you feel anything but guilt after watching your men die, and for what? So you can live as a coward the rest of your life? Twice my throne has been snatched away from me, and now my kingdom! Their sacrifice was for me to have nothing to show for it! I should have been the one who died in that throne room – on that field!"

"Did you know my father was a knight with the Royal Army?" Ashei waited till the adrenaline leaked from Zelda's limbs before attacking once more, managing to slice a small stand of hair behind her ear. "He fought many wars for this Kingdom, but each time he came home there was something different about him. He seemed more and more standoffish and had nightmares every night, but he always returned to battle. War after endless war."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zelda rolled away from an overhead blow.

"He had warrior's heart, just like you. He would see ghosts and wonder, 'Why me?'. Why did he get to live with the memories of their deaths while they passed on as heroes for their nation." Ashei's voice started to rise but her expression stayed the same, a small bead of sweat forming on her brow as Zelda took to a defensive stance. "But never did he blame the royal family for his condition."

Zelda shook her head, kicking Ashei in the gut when she got too close. "That is different–"

Her instructor grew more livid with each swing of her blade. "Don't you get it?! That boy, those soldiers, they were PREPARED to die for their nation! They knew they might not come out alive but they went out anyways! They died so you can live!" Their blades clashed again in an 'x' again as they battled for strength. This time though, Zelda pressed her heels down into the red earth and used the ground to shove Ashei back and away from her. To hear her own words thrown back at her made her cheeks tingle in aggravation.

She growled indignantly, "Do you honestly think I do not know that! I know they made the decision, but I had a responsibility to them to keep them safe and I failed! Time and time again I failed!"

When Ashei stood back up, the Princess took her blade and rained it down over head only to be blocked by the rapier. Ashei's face became red like her her armored legs as she shouted, "YOU CAN'T SAVE EVERYONE!" She managed to kick Zelda across the face with her boot, throwing her down to the floor with a cut lip and estoc far away from her. Ashei stood above her, and she heard the unsheathing of a third blade. Opening her tear-filled eyes, Zelda saw Link at the entrance of the cemetery, eyes wide and blade ready as he saw Zelda laying weakly on the floor. "Stay back Hero, this is none of your concern." Ashei threatened, and the princess gave him the same command to not react.

Zelda took this distraction as an opportunity to sweep Ashei's legs, knocking her flat on her back and regaining her stance, removing her small blade this time. "I SHOULD HAVE DIED OUT THERE ALONGSIDE THEM AS THEIR LEADER," She could feel Link wince at her words but she needed to say them, she needed to win this battle for his sake. He didn't need to see her lose, "That's what we Zeldas do, we sacrifice ourselves for those we care about."

Ashei cast away her own rapier to replace it with a small blade of her own, "But is it what _you_ do...They died so you can live, why can't you see that."

The two began a series of slashing and disarming of one another in a fluid cycle of avoiding laceration. "I try...I try but the ghosts still return, and everyone thinks it is so easy: that I can ignore them and they will go away, but they never do! Do you not understand that? Your father could not turn them away and neither can I!"

" _Just get better."_ The phrase ricocheted off her mind.

"I'm not asking you to stop them. I am asking you to cope. Survivor's remorse does nothing but hurt you, and even if you can't cure warrior's heart, you can learn to fight through it." Ashei jumped out of the cycle and stared at her, breathing heavily.

Zelda closed her eyes and sighed, "Y-You're right...But I–"

That action was a mistake, since once again, Ashei struck her with the butt of her blade. "The Kingdom is like your whipping boy. Everytime you lose yourself to these lies, he is beaten like a dog." Princess Zelda stumbled back, and dropping down into a supported stance lunged forward, placing her blade near Ashei's throat as she was mid-sentence. The two paused as the tired monarch stepped back, shaking her head.

"I never had a whipping boy...I paid for all my mistakes, they were my responsibility." Zelda plopped down onto the ground, unsatisfied by her victory. Ashei followed in step, cheeks flushed at how easily she let her guard down. "I understand what you are trying to say. And I will try to be more proactive in my mental state, but as long as I keep busy, they do not bother me. "

Ashei handed her a rag to clean her bloodied lip, as Zelda continued, "Honestly, I am more happy now than I was in the castle. Because, despite everything that has happened, I feel I can truly make a difference, even if the ghosts appear and send me through time. Nayru forbid I get lost in the memories."

"You aren't alone," Ashei crawled to sit closer to her, furrowing her brows, "Understand that I am acting hard on you because I too...have warrior's heart."

Princess Zelda's heart sank and her gaze snapped over to the deep brown eyes of her instructor. She wanted to cry for whatever soul was cursed in such a manner, "Lady Ashei…"

"I enlisted in the army as a young teen, and was unfortunate enough to be put in Earl Kemp's camp in Snowpeak because my father's ex superior recognized my name – it was punishment, training under the Earl who, I later found out, slandered my father's name after he beat one of his prodigies in a tournament. I served well for a few years, but the soldiers there were so corrupted and empty that I had to leave – they didn't fight for justice, they fought for power. Ironically, I worked as a mercenary for some years after that, and that was where my heart recieved its wounds. You see things, working for high lords and ladies acting like snakes to seduce the people of Hyrule...I thought I was making a difference, and did things I'm not proud of. So even with the memories of all the terrible things I did as a youth for coin etched into my body–" She removed her gauntlets and pulled back her sleeves to reveal the scars from varying blades up and down her arms, "I had to continue. You too shall learn how to move forward."

"I had no idea." Princess Zelda whispered, her hand tracing over her own scar given to her in empathy.

Ashei still managed to smile despite the morbid conversation, and held out a hand. "I hope you and I can be friends, that way I can say this exercise was part of tough love."

She helped the Princess up and Zelda smiled, "Of course."

"You are stronger than you think Princess. I should have you and Link spar someday." She joked, waving to Link who just stood uncomfortably, staring at the still-visible blood on Zelda's lip.

"Oh no," Zelda furiously shook her head, "I could never fight him in swordplay." Ashei beckoned Link over, claiming her training was done for the day.

"Wait," She held her hands out and closed her eyes, summoning up a jar filled with bright starlight. "Thank you for training me today. I offer you a gift for when you begin your patrols tonight. It is a jar of light magic, use it if a shadow creature comes near and it should stun them long enough for you to return here."

Ashei took it with grateful hands. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You are welcome...friend." She smiled back, turning to Link in delight.

"Would you like to walk the perimeter with me?" He asked, feeling very out of place. Zelda was glad to see that he was beginning to overcome his shyness from earlier and agreed. Her heart leapt at the idea of why he wanted to walk with her alone, and she hoped she could beg the question she was dying to know.

"Allow me to change."

…

Once back in her dress and pauldrons, the Princess sighed in content comfort. Never had she missed her skirts so much before that she eagerly jumped back into a corset. Link waited for her outside the Inn with a muddled mind – she could tell by the way he stared at everything but saw nothing. He still sneezed occasionally, and each time their eyes met, he would heat up and turn away.

When they began walking, it was in a tense silence, one similar to the atmosphere after a fight where both parties did not know where they stood. A question was on his tongue, but ironically he was too craven to ask of it. She hoped it was what she thought, but wasted no time trying to get excited over it. He looked quite dashing today, bandages completely removed and black eye a thing of the past.

He cleared his throat but said naught, instead touching her shoulders to gently move her out of the way of an incoming cart of pottery. She could even tell things were awkward between them, and this made her nervous. Should she apologize for their kiss? Was he really just following orders and not feeling uncomfortable with her? She frowned.

Link noticed the shift in her demeanor and faced her, mimicking her expression as he reached up to rub his thumb across the wound on her lip. He looked upset with Ashei, but his eyes focused on her bottom lip. Her pulse quickened and hands shook wantingly. He must have taken her stares as sign of being out of line, for he pulled away in a fright.

"It is fine. Sometimes you get hurt when you practice," she tried to comfort him, rubbing the cut on her palm over her gloves. Maybe a change of conversational topic was due. Zelda scowled, mostly to herself, "Those nightmares I told you, they were without a doubt a premonition. There is so much to it though, that I am unsure what it all means. And even worse, is that I can not help but wonder how exactly finding these girls is going to help stop the shadows."

Link's eyes misted with sadness and pining as he stated, "If Midna was around, she might know what to do."

A thick stake was driven through her heart at the sound of that name on his lips. She hated it, but she honestly felt a tinge of jealousy suffocate her arteries at the thought of the woman being on his mind. _Why couldn't he just forget her_ – that's a selfish thought. It hurt more than she anticipated, and she moved to further the distance between them as they walked. Choosing not to even give the notion her attention, she continued with her original ponderings. "How was Ganondorf even resurrected in the first place? The shadows seemed to despise him, so they must not have done it."

He made a noise of worrying, not liking to see her stress over things she couldn't directly control at the moment. "Impaz gifted me with the garb I was wearing earlier. It was originally used by my grandmother for discrete missions – I know this may anger you, but I have an idea."

He ran to stand in front of her, crossing his arms and glowering at her.

"There is so little we still know. I wish to investigate the castle once more to learn about these creatures."

He became feverish and begged, "No! You don't need to be with the enemy to learn their ways!"

She understood his troubles but insisted, "Ganondorf is no longer our problem, and we know nothing of these creatures. That interloper thinks we will not attempt confronting him because he knows you would never allow me to go. We can catch him off guard!" She stepped forward and placed her hands on his chest, looking him dead in the eyes despite the strange looks from other citizens. "Please. I can not do this without you, I beg you to join me."

He wouldn't dare leave her alone in that castle, not after all that's already occured. He was distraught, and it pained her to know she had caused this, but she didn't want to hide from the monsters anymore. Link had yet to make his decision, but even as she pleaded, he seemed grounded in his decision that she shouldn't go.

"That sounds like a wise decision," Telma appeared at one point in time and watched them, still close to one another as red as radishes. They jumped apart to try and hide their moment of contact. "When were you planning to do this little raid?"

"Tonight." Princess Zelda sounded, and Link gasped at her as a response. He looked to his friend, hoping for her to speak some reason into the princess.

"Honestly I don't think it's that bad of an idea. She's proven herself able to defend her person and get results – but you cut it close last time, princess. I'd say only take one other person with you." Telma winked at him to loosen his nerves but it was futile. He looked ready to burst with some emotion he could not articulate into words or expression, so he stormed off and away from them.

"Link, wait!" Zelda called out, whipping around to Telma and hoping she would have an idea of what happened.

"Don't look at me," Telma held her hands up defensively.

"I must find him, excuse me." The monarch rushed through town and noticed the way a troop of guards eyed her oddly. It sent a chill up her spine; something wasn't right with them, but she had no time to worry about that.

…

After searching every nook and cranny (even going so far as to check under her own bed), it was Mayor Bo who informed her the whereabouts of her Hero. He was with the Gorons within Death Mountain, and that was were she now stood – within an active volcano with large rock men all around her. It was a lot cooler inside the mountain compared to outside, but that wasn't saying much. She kept a wet rag around her neck as she followed the crowd into a stuffy room, trying to slip through them quietly so they wouldn't notice.

Gor Coron was in the distance and she hurried to meet him, still unable to see what the Goron were rushing in to witness. Struggling, she reached him and he greeted her with a surprised smile.

"Princess? What are you doing here?" He asked, requesting one of his brethren to move so she could wiggle into the front row.

"I am looking for Link. Is he here?" She shimmied into place and looked out with a gasp. She and the many Gorons were surrounding a circular platform in the center of the large room lit by torch-light up above. The many males in the crowd cheered and exchanged with one another what appeared to be bets; but for what, she couldn't see. In the center of the barren platform was two blue lines: on one side was a large Goron with a thick beard and arched brows standing with his legs wide. He raised a foot up and stomped it down threatening, smirking with confidence.

On the other side of the arena was a Hylian man, shirtless with lean muscles coated in white lines of healing flesh wounds. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was, and Gor Coron pointed, "He's right there."

Link's pants were rolled up slightly and feet covered in metallic boots she hadn't seen before, as he repeated the same movement done by his Goron opponent. Princess Zelda couldn't believe her eyes when he and the creature began to wrestle, grabbing one another by the shoulders and attempting to push each other back. A fire of ambition burned within his eyes as he growled to try and gain strength over his opponent. First time he was flung off the area by his adversary, but once he was back on the platform, he ebbed with determination.

"What is this?" Zelda pondered, shocked at the way the crowd went wild every time Link pushed his challenger close to the edge.

"Sumo," Gor Coron answered, "He is quite good at it, even without the boots. It would just be an unfair advantage, so we let him wear them, but if he had a Hylian opponent, he would do just fine."

A few minutes later he was able to push his enemy out of the ring three times, earning himself a mixture of elated cheers and sorrowful moans. The betting losers left the crowd for fear of losing any more rupees, and the remaining patrons awaited the next challenger.

"You see," Gor Coron tried to explain, "The Ring is the greatest equaliser in Goron culture. Many of our civil disputes and political disagreements are handled through sumo."

An idea flicked in her mind. "Can anyone enter?"

He thought on this before nodding, "I suppose so–"

She didn't hear him finish, she was already bolting to the referee. That was how she ended up in men's spare pantaloons that wrapped around her waist in a thick bow, chest swaddled up in fabrics to mimic the shape of her bodice. The arena was slick with sweat underneath her feet as she walked on – the crowd silencing, unsure if they should cheer, and who to cheer for. The room hummed with excitement, and with a blank expression, she stood behind the line in front of Link.

He immediately straightened up and glanced around the room to see if it was a joke, but no one was laughing. His face scrunched, he wanted to know what she was doing here. She bent her knees and raised a foot up in the air before stomping it down, making a small little slam. Link was confused on what to do, but when she made no effort to leave, he assumed this had to be done. He removed his metal boots and assumed position, not smiling even as the referee called for a friendly fight.

At the mark, Zelda lurched forward and put her hands against his hips, pushing him back slightly as she caught him off guard. He shoved her back and they both circled one another.

"Why did you run off?" She asked of him, but he instead grabbed onto her shoulders and began pushing her back. She tried holding her ground, but the harder he moved, the more it felt like her back was ready to snap, and she was shoved out of bounds. He won the first point.

They resumed positions, and this time she conserved her energy, waiting for the perfect chance to strike him back. He held her and she smacked him away, stepping forward. They continued this until they were near the edge, and she held his shoulders this time. He groaned, "I'm upset...by how willingly you walk into danger." She shoved him out of the arena: point for her.

"You know I need to do this." Zelda wiped her brow with the back of her hand. Their tussle resumed, but this time he was able to push her out.

"And you know how powerless I feel around that cretin." The hard determination returned to his eyes. With an accidental slip on his part, she was able to retrieve her second point.

"Do you not trust me?" She growled.

They were tied – the crowd slowly leaving as the felt the conversation between the two was far too personal of an issue to be betting on, but that didn't stop some.

"Of course I do!" His eyes shifted nervously as he pushed her shoulders, "I...I just don't trust... _my_ abilities."

"So you do not wish for me to go...because you feel unable to defend me?" She pushed at his shoulders.

"Yes!" He cried out as he shoved her away but she came back twice as hard. They both held one another at bay, the edge of the ring being on their right side as one struggled for power. With a hard twist Zelda tried to knock him over, but she tumbled down with him. They landed on their shoulders at the same time, but he was quick to move on top of her to pin her arms down, establishing his point. "I hate when you make these decisions without asking my opinion first. I don't want you getting hurt again, I want you to trust _me!_ "

She squirmed beneath, getting her legs out from under him and jutting her foot against his gut and pushing, reversing their stances. She straddled him, keeping his hands down against the hard floor and panting; both their chests rose and fell in unison, tired and sweaty from their physical exertion. "I am sorry. I thought that was what I was doing, but now I see and understand your feelings. I only hope that you understand that I will do anything to save my kingdom."

"Please don't say that," he begged like a child unwilling to face reality, looking so vulnerable beneath her. He couldn't fathom her getting hurt again like last time, she accepted that.

"You and I will do all we can to save this kingdom, right?" She loosened her grip when she saw no one was left in the room to call the point.

He nodded in agreement, unapproving but willing just the same. Zelda released a tired sigh and dropped her head down for her forehead to rest just above his heart. At the sound of its hard pumps, she perked up, and rushed to get off him.

"Ishallseeyoutonight." She rushed to say, running out of there so fast like a prude that she missed the smile that appeared on Link's tired face.

…

As the rest of the village returned to their beds at curfew, the princess was wide awake and ready to leave the quiet town. Alger gave her a good verbal lashing when he discovered she had partaken in sumo with the Gorons, let alone wore what she had, but she hadn't cared. She couldn't shake from her mind the feeling of Link's body against hers as she held him there, just looking into his cerulean orbs that hypnotized her. What wanton thoughts, why didn't they just bugger off?

Impaz was with her as she attempted to dress herself in the Sheikah armor, and she was more than willing to express her issues of the heart to the only elder she felt akin to a mother. This was the unspoken question she hoped he would ask, and felt like a foolish girl to say it aloud. "I just do not know where we stand. We have done many things one would deem romantic, and yet he has failed to ask to court me." She sighed, tying the binds on her feet.

"I'd think a kiss counts as courtship." Impaz raised her brows teasingly, petting the kitten that rested in her lap. "You are overthinking this."

"But I thought men asked women for the honor to refer to her as his and vice versa. Then they pursued time together romantically with a chaperone and what not." She thought back to all the gossip she heard between the girls who roamed the castle while their parents made business. Princess Zelda never got to speak to them face-to-face, but she would always hear them giggle and squeal at the stories of what lord did what with his potential lady. Some stories were more graphic than others, but they all ended the same: both parties had a clear understanding where they stood through a formal agreement.

Impaz could see the cogs turning and groaned, "Princess, Link is not a Lord, he is a farmhand-turned-knight. Common folk aren't so methodical with their relationships; if you're really not sure where you stand then ask him! He's probably just as curious as you are."

Princess Zelda stopped wrapping her knuckles to pale like a ghost. "Gods no! What if I am misinterpreting him! King Daphnes said his favorite thing in a woman was desperateness – I am not desperate."

This upset Impaz, and she pointed an aged finger at Zelda scoldingly. "Link is not your father! I think he is very interested in you, and you're just being a pansy."

"Maybe you are right," She said. The image of a baby with the skin of a Twili and eyes of a Hylian appeared, and she fell deeper into the ocean of thoughts. The Woods showed her her biggest fears, and after hearing Link utter Midna's name so caringly, she couldn't help but feel hesitant. "What if he still loves her."

Jealousy and depression mixed within her bloodstream until it was a confusing blend of hot and cold. Her nursemaid started for the door, "That was four years ago. She's not coming back, and even if she did, I doubt he would make himself so close to you if he didn't feel something. He is a good boy and would never wish to intentionally bring you agony."

She left and Zelda soaked up their conversation. Impaz had good points, but she was still unwilling to make such a big decision. She began to start her breast bindings, trying to keep them loose enough so she didn't look like a teenage boy. She was halfway done when she heard a knock, and her arms could no longer reach to tie the final binds.

"Come in," she answered, dumbfounded to see Link was the one who entered.

He shielded his eyes immediately and mumbled, "I-I'm sorry, I can come back later!"

"Nonsense," she tried to sound confident, "I need help with this final tie, anyways."

He gingerly walked over and held both ends in his hands, fumbling to knot it on her back. She arched slightly and waited in her seat, embarrassed when the question of whether or not she was unconsciously trying to seduce him came up. This was not a good day for her ego.

Once finished, Zelda quickly stood up to seal the back, and with a snap of her finger, was back in her favorite attire. Link's mouth opened as he wondered how she was able to transform so quickly.

"Like my estoc and bow, I have made it so I can summon the Sheikah garb when I please. Saves us some time. Are you ready?"

He nodded, and they both headed on their way.

…

"There it is." Zelda breathed, the air becoming so icy she could see her breath despite the summer season. The castle looked just as vacant as last time, like the carcass of a Goliath slowly decaying with time. The moon tried to shed light down on them, but dark storm clouds would not allow such purity. Epona stepped back on her own volition when they heard strange noises beyond the walls. They frightened both Zelda and the steed, so Link placed his hand over hers which rested on his waist and gave a tight squeeze.

He looked over his shoulder to check on her, expression serious and devoid of laughing lines or amusement. She nodded, dismounting the horse in forced confidence. Looking down, she saw the way her garbs blended within the shadows of night and assumed this was the appeal. "Let us go. I do not wish to venture far into the castle, just the main foyer for now." She commanded, waiting as he motioned Epona somewhere safer to await their return. "There should be an entrance to the escape tunnels this way."

She started for the entrance to the watchman's tower and slowly opened the oak door. Everything was dark within the room, so dark that Link pushed past her to investigate further. With a flick of his own wrist, he held a lantern that rattled and clanked each time he moved, illuminating every corner and item. It was clear, but everything was a mess from people running into them as they escaped. He beckoned her in, when she stepped on something soft, and looking down, under her foot was a child's doll – one of the legendary Queen of Fairies made with button eyes and smile curved in thread, her wings built from loose silks.

Princess Zelda reached down to grab it, holding something so small in her hand stirred a curious feeling. She once had a doll like this one, although much more refined and detailed. Her father gave it to her – or better yet, his messenger boy gave it to her at his command – to silence her crying after she pined for her grandmother's return from a long trip. Although he used it as a means to keep her quiet, she found comfort in the little thing, and now knowing a little girl who escaped the castle was missing her doll filled her with a need to return it.

She assumed the child was probably in Kakariko still (trying to ignore to the possibilities that another child would be among the gravestones). She would give it to her then when they returned. "There should be a trap door in the center of the room."

Link dropped to his knees and began running his hands over the floorboards until he found a raise in the seams. It was removed to reveal a very deep hole in the ground and ladder, a musty odor wafted up from the bowels of the passage. Link looked up at her, holding his nose and cracking a smile. "Ladies first."

She scowled before beginning her descent into the dark underground, taking Link's lantern down with her as she slowly reached the bottom. The path seemed never-ending and claustrophobic, grimy moss covering the walls and ground. "Clear." She stated, her voice being the only noise within the catacomb-like space. He came down as well, and together they began walking cautiously, searching the darkness for any sign of life.

Link went ahead and took the lantern, marching in front of her protectively. As much as she appreciated his care, she thought it odd the way he seemed to coddle her like a glass doll. It was from past traumas, she knew that, but she wished he would relax.

 _He is being a Hero,_ she thought to herself, smiling.

 _You can be the Hero,_ the other voice began, _If you kill him._

She jolted back in a fright, electricity jolting through her as she was ready to vomit at the words that just crossed her mind. With her palm she smacked her head to drive the voice out, the one that spoke dark thoughts she would never dare believe.

 _Take what is your–_

"Stop it!" She shouted out, shaking her head violently.

"Princess?!" Link swiftly turned back, rushing over to her.

She couldn't look him straight in the eyes after what that voice spoke – it sounded so much like her, but not like her at the same time. She wouldn't dare tell him what occurred, and lucky for her, she didn't have to as another familiar voice filled her ears.

"Princess Zelda?" Naru mumbled, causing Zelda to turn and search frantically in a fright. How did she follow them here, this was no place for a child!

"By the Gods, Naru!" She shouted, and Link rushed to search with her.

"What? Where are you?" Naru yawned.

"Where am I – where are you?!" Zelda scolded.

"I don't hear anything." Link touched her arm in concern, using the back of his hand to check for a fever before jumping back like he saw a ghost. "Fuana?" He turned back.

"I think I'm dreaming...Why are you in a tunnel?"

Princess Zelda held her head in exhaustion, noticing Link doing the same with an even greater level of ignorance. "Go back to sleep little one, we shall see you in the morning, alright." The knight and princess exchanged equal looks of perturbation. The voice didn't respond, all was silent as they stared at each other. "That was very odd."

He nodded in agreement, "Fuana talked like she could see what I saw."

"Naru had mentioned something similar before," she paused, "We don't have time to ponder it now. Let us continue."

…

The escape route eventually led them to another ladder after what felt like hours of walking. At the top of the ladder was a wooden manhole that, from the scent of cut hay, led to the castle stables. Once back out in open air, the two shivered at the cold drafts enveloping them. A rancid odor reached their nostrils and made them gag, the scent coming from a nearby stall. Link peered into it but paused in a horrific stupor, the princess was not willing to subject herself to something so potent.

"This way," she pulled him, careful to avoid discarded buckets and tools, until they reached an unhinged door. It led to a short staircase up into another hall that would precede the kitchens. This was the eastern part of the castle, and if they kept following this path, they would reach the foyer. They ascended to the kitchen lit with the dying embers of a fire, shadows dancing across the stone walls before peeling themselves off and taking on solid forms. Their molasses limbs hardened and shifted into grey skin and blank eyes of ordinary staff. They spoke no words, but moved in stern response to their emotions. Link and Zelda watched them curiously but with caution. Some chopped vegetables violently before throwing them against the wall in a tantrum, others cried under an unseeable pressure. It was a very odd scene, but they waited until the creatures became bored and melted into ebony liquid and slithered away.

Link moved to enter before her, but she made haste to beat him to it, investigating the room and looting all the fresh meats and fruits she could and sending them back to Kakariko on Farore's winds. It made her lightheaded, but they could use the food. She found a bottle of wine and other dark colored spirits, and rolling her eyes, she sent that too – a small convincing voice assuring her that this was a safe means of escape for some. The knight placed his hand on her shoulder, not wanting her to push her abilities too far just yet.

"I am fine." She assured him, smiling falsely – still shaken by the void inside her head. Slowly, they opened the next door, looking both ways to make sure they were alone. They slipped into the dark dining room with its long table still dressed and ready to home guests. It had been vacant for so long it was beginning to hold dust. She frowned.

Link grunted while pointing to the other side of the room where the door was already wide open, giving a perfect view into the foyer. A strange draped object lay in the center of the floor, and it immediately piqued Zelda's interest. It was then that she saw herself appear at the foot of the stairs, transparent like a phantom as she moved without acknowledgement of an audience toward the mass. Zelda held back a gasp, and turning she saw Link neither noticed nor seemed to see the strange figment.

And like that, she was gone, and in an agitation she ran into the room to try and catch up with the apparition. She was completely alone within the foyer, the sound of her breathing being the only sound. She cursed, glaring at the satin-draped item in wonder. It was maybe the size of a table and reached her midriff in height. Something didn't feel right about it.

 _Look at it,_ the negative voice appeared again, but this time she was willing to listen. Just as her fingertips met the plush fabric, she heard Link call her name, and just as he was about to exit the dining room, the doors slammed shut in front of him.

"Zelda!" He shouted, banging on the wood frantically.

Her stomach dropped and she rushed to pull at the handles but they wouldn't budge! "I-It will not open!" She growled, trying with all her might as it sounded like Link had thrown a chair at it.

"Now what do we have here?" an echoing voice purred in sick pleasure behind her. She swiftly turned, raising her now-present estoc at the dark interloper standing atop the blanketed object. He looked at her as if she were a cornered rabbit and he a hungry wolf. His eyes appeared to shift to the shade of a black blood clot. "I thought you were smarter than this – _she_ wouldn't have been so reckless."

"Stop it!" She shouted, sick of being compared.

"Fight me; leave her out of this," Link beseeched, still slamming his fists against the door.

Dark rolled his eyes, "You intruded my home, you don't make the rules."

Zelda held back her ire. He rose a thick brow as a dark grey misted over his skin. He sniggered with interest, "Why don't we let the lady decide? Don't get so worked up Hero, don't you trust her?"

She waited for Link to respond, but he didn't.

"Of course not," Dark cackled, "Because you don't trust anyone, not even yourself."

"This is between you and I shadow, leave him out of this." Zelda held her ground. She was confident she could take Dark even when her body disagreed. Maybe it was foolish but she had to try. Link could be killed if he fought Dark, but she had the advantage. She could be his Hero! "I challenge you, foul creature," she announced.

 _You can't take him._

"Well that wasn't very wise."

Like a spark of fire, Zelda was the first to make a move, charging forward just as Dark drew his blade. He jumped down and both their weapons crashed together in full force. Zelda was taken aback by how solid he felt after using her free hand to grab her short blade and being stopped by him just swatting it away.

She retreated slightly, make sure not to take her eyes off of the lifeless ogles attempting to capture her soul with twisted stares. This was their first battle, and already she was beginning to feel unnerved by the way he just smiled.

"Nice costume by the way." He laughed.

Zelda removed her estoc from the fight and used only her shorter blade to slice at any attack he tried to throw at her. She was dodging already, but got sloppy for a split second to earn herself a cut on the cheek. It stung, but she wished to return the favor before licking her wounds.

There was an opening between movements, and in one slick motion she impeded the blade with her own just to continue the motion and slash into the spot below his sleeve.

Dark shoved her away and started at the tattered clothing in boredom, the skin and cloth sewing itself back together with ease.

"Princess!" Link cried out still.

"She's busy," Dark stuck his tongue out and snarled. Once more she was coming at him, and then he at her in a continuous game of cat and mouse with no winners. He was toying with her, not taking her seriously no matter how hard she fought.

He thrusted his sword at her, but she pushed it out of the way and completed a rolling check across his back until she was standing behind him, going for the flesh under his ear before he switched his sword to an icepick position and stabbed in her direction. Ducking out of the way, she leapt backwards, breathing laboriously.

With a second opening as she regained her footing, she returned her blade and summoned forth her golden bow, notching it with a radiant arrow in his direction. With an exhale, the projectile whistled towards its home between Dark's eyes, but just as it approached, he evaporated into thin mist. It pierced the wall behind him with a brilliant glow.

He narrowed his eyes at her threateningly; vexed by her attack and seething berserk energy as he charged back at her. With each pound of her heartbeat, she shot arrow after arrow, each missing, until her own blood rose up her throat from overexertion – He just kept coming!

She couldn't just give up now, she wouldn't be bested! Running at him with the same energy, the Princess froze in perplexity as he resumed his gaseous form and moved through her, back into a solid entity on the other side of her.

"You annoy me." He spat just as her body felt cold and empty.

Looking down at her palms they were coated in blood, and bodies lay at her feet like the flower petals of her wreath. She screamed in fright when her heart felt ready to burst and covered her ears as voices snuck in.

" _You're worthless."_

" _You can't even win a fight, weakling."_

" _People are only nice to you because they feel sorry for a person as pitiful as you."_

" _They died because of your inadequacy."_

" _Your parents didn't even want you, why would they?"_

" _You really should just die; Hyrule would be better off."_

"Stop this, please!" Zelda cried, crumbling to her knees while covering her ears as the voices both hers and others smothered her.

"The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Dark reached down to pull her head up so she could see the same vision from the woods return. He leaned in, his breath smelling of fresh blood as he whispered, "He only puts up with you because he regrets not fighting for her more. You're just the replacement."

"No!" She fought against him, "No!No!No!"

"Zelda!" Link growled out louder, "Whatever he's saying, don't listen to him!"

"Who are you going to believe, a lying mortal or the manifestation of everything he won't admit?" He grinned, posing it as a true question of her beliefs.

Reaching back, she grabbed her blade and in sloppy emotions tried to stab the deceiving snake. He grabbed her wrist and laughed maniacally, twisting it until she let go with a cry. He flung her down across the marble floor heedlessly and picked up her discarded weapon, stepping hard on her gut to keep her in place.

She gasped for air as she tried to pull his boot off but he seemed to weigh as much as a horse. "You may have figured out my trick," He ran the point of the blade over her leg, "But I still find amusement in this."

With haste he resliced the cursed symbol lightly, and moved his shoe to step on the bleeding wound. She shouted out in a mixture of pain, anger, and sorrow all at once, clawing at him as he added more pressure to the once healed wound.

"You sick bastard!" Link hollered, voice cracking in helplessness.

Dark reached down and pulled Zelda up by her hair, holding her there as red stained her leg and his other hand touched her stomach. The door reopened, and Link saw the red circling Zelda's foggy eyes, still possessed ,and the bloodied blade, all while Dark moved his hand farther up her abdomen with wild eyes. He was testing Link with an image he recognized. She moved her lips to beg him to stay calm lest he feed the demon, but it only came in moans of pain as her adrenaline wore off.

Link tried to move but something he couldn't see blocked his way. His eyes darkened and veins popped out of his neck and throat.

"She's not as fun anymore," Dark pondered something, "Next time bring that little sister of yours. She would be a lot more amusing."

"I'll kill you!" Link broke.

That statement filled Zelda with vigor at the implications, using her sliver of strength to headbutt the sick creature. Dark growled at her action, and kicked her down to the floor. "Take my sloppy seconds and leave, you filthy parasites." He returned to a misty form and waited as Link ran to scoop Zelda up into his arms.

He started walking but paused, throwing back a wroth snarl before exiting through the front gate.

…

The sun was already returning to her spot high within the neverending sky as the two rode in silence back to Kakariko. The Princess rested her head against his chest as they rode together, swimming through her thoughts. None of her injuries really hurt terribly – she was now convinced he was purposely going easy on her just to destroy her confidence even more. She tried too hard to listen to what Ashei said, but it all seemed to disappear when the moment induced an episode. His abilities were strange, but his words were stranger. She boiled once again when she thought of his threat against Naru. He wouldn't dare harm a hair on her head while she was alive.

Link was just as unnerved, but at least he was able to follow her advice and try to keep a level head so not to feed the beast. She closed her eyes and returned to her gown and pauldron, ready to hide her cut up leg again. The wound had already healed and he disturbed it. At least this time there were no eyes watching her moves – just her and Link.

"I failed." She stated matter-of-factly, inspecting the way his chainmail swayed as they moved.

"You did the best you could, if anything we learned...something." His voiced vibrated in his chest in a low frequency. He was tired both physically and mentally.

"And that is?"

He placed his chin on top of her head in way that she assumed he hadn't realized. "That neither of us are strong enough to take on that thing right now." He tried to look at her face with a reassuring smile, and she returned it.

"...Link," she worked out the words in her head, feeling appreciative of his upbeat attitude, "Thank you. You could have handled this any other way, and most would have. They would have called me weak and foolish." Most people she knew would have scolded her and droned on about how right they were.

"You're braver than me sometimes I think," He swallowed at the difficulty of his next sentence, "I...trust you and your abilities. I know you wouldn't do things if you didn't think you were ready. And this time we weren't." He was so confident in the simplicity of his fact.

She nodded, "We should try our best to stay away from those shadows as long as we can whilst we train, then."

He beamed at her new change in attitude.

Her face warmed, and turning to face the trail ahead, she thought how short life was, and how easily it was taken away. She pulled out the fairy doll and played with the threaded hair in thought. At the festival, so many young citizens were being wed in hordes; was it for love or fear of dying alone in uncertain times? How often had she cheated death, and when would that luck run out? "Link…"

He grunted in attention.

All her years of speech training flew out of her mind the moment her chest lost rhythm. "Do you...what I mean to say is...Well, we have been through a lot, and back there that creature showed me a deep fear I refuse to admit. So I have something to say – that way, even if you do not approve – I will at least know I did something about it."

His brows furrowed in concern, holding her tighter. He didn't understand, and his immediate worry made her chuckle in happiness that he cared.

"Link, I…" she swallowed, "I lo–"

"Your Majesty!" Cried a familiar voice in panic. Both quickly looked up at the Kakariko Gate in the distance, and saw Counselor Fane waving his white-robed arms at them in anxiety. Link ran Epona into a faster canter, reaching the councilman as quickly as they could.

"What has occured, is everyone safe?" Zelda checked for any sign of forced entry.

"Y-You need to come quick!" He motioned for them to follow as they were led into town where a crowd of people gathered. Zelda dismounted and pushed past them as some cheered and others talked loudly amongst each other. Earl Kemp's back was the first one visible, Viscount Osmar next to him – both wearing matching expressions of discomfort the moment their azure eyes saw her face.

"What is it?!" Zelda begged to know again, this time becoming irritated. Standing next to them, she saw Alger practically skip in joy as waved his arms up and bowed lowly to a greying old man wearing robes of red and gold. The doll in her hand fell to the floor with a plop.

"I present to the people of Hyrule: His Majesty The King, Daphnes the Third."

Princess Zelda felt robbed of her possessions – and it was illegal to steal them back.

* * *

 **Now wasn't that an action packed whirlwind of emotion and devilishness ^^' This bad boy took a long time and a lot of elbow grease to get to where I wanted it to be. My lovely editor SunnyAirisu222 really worked hard, and it shows in the lack of incoherent sentences and basic grammar da best doll!**

 **Special thanks to:**  
 **muslipepito, Alixaria Seain, Minaly22, Dromaeo Prod, Ripple, SunnyAirisu222, SweetestChick, Euivy, Kersplunk, Guest, and Ultimate Blazer**

 **I have developed a little cold at the moment, so my mind is fuzzy, but I just wanted to say once again that I love and appreciate each and every one of you! I love reading your reviews an hearing what kind of impression my story has made on you ( or my author's note - be careful out there Ripple!) And it was nice to see some new faces like Euivy and AlixariaSeain! And yes Kersplunk, he will be referenced - thanks for asking! Love you all!**

 **Alright, I'll leave you all be! Stay hydrated**  
 **Please R &R - Comments, Questions, Analysis, and Concerns are all welcome!**  
 **See you guys next month!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Welcome back everyone! I meant to leave this message in my author's note last chapter because of its relationship with the subject matter from chapter 17, but I forgot ^^' However, the whole story has this motif, so I'll leave it here since it's still relevant. (Don't worry, it's nothing bad)**

 **One of the many themes and subjects of Shards is mental health, and is sort of an unintentional reflection of my journey to recovery from the demons in my head, and the trials and tribulations that came with it. So just wanted to say to any and all of my readers who suffered, or are still suffering with mental health issues: You are so loved, and things get better. It may take a long time, and will not be easy, but believe me when I say it is worth the pain – You can't truly appreciate the sunshine without a little rain. You may not know it, but you are so much stronger than you think. And those of you who stared into the abyss and said "Fuck off", reigning victorious after a war within yourself: I am so proud of you! I know how hard it must have been, and with these tools you developed, I wish you a lifetime of joy and happiness!**

 **I know this is just fanfiction ( and kind of depressing for an A/N) but I don't write to make hormonal teens go wild; I strive for purpose and to make an impression. Maybe my recent trip to Wattpad got me riled up, what with mental health being romanticized as a means to get boys to like you through pity. SunnyAirisu222 and I work hard to make sure you never see that in this story, only realism with occasional hyperboles to prove a point. I'm no psychologist and can only work with my experiences and textbook examples. I didn't mean to sound so ranty haha ^^ I guess to put it short: I love you all, and whatever you may be facing in your life, you can beat it. If this story is your escape, I welcome you with open arms. You are the Hero of your own story, and don't forget to smile :)**

 **Now without further Ado! For some reason my horizontal lines aren't showing v.v  
**

* * *

 _The rose sat patiently in her chair, hands folded neatly in her lap as she crossed her legs and tried not to swing them as they hovered above the floor. Her grandmother said someday she would grow into the chairs of their garden, so for now, she waited firmly for her stems to elongate like an obedient little rose bud. She watched steadily as the tree across from her crossed his sturdy branches in thought. It was his turn in the game of war, something his rosebush of a mother suggested they play – one of their few moments alone spent in strategic combat._

 _Taking his black rook, he captured her white pawn, silently taking the piece and throwing it amongst the other dead soldiers._

 _"Excellent move Your Majesty," She said in courtesy, nervous by how close he was to her King; it was defenseless._

 _The tree leaned back in sturdy confidence, smiling down at the small little rose before him so young and inexperienced. She moved her King to the right in an attempt to escape, but had accidentally set it in the path of a black pawn. The rose held her breath, hoping the wise old tree wouldn't notice her blunder._

 _His leaves rustled in thought as they glared at the board and then her, the sparkling sap of mercy running down his bark. She bloomed in relief that he was considering the action of allowing her that move to try and win – she knew the cool shade of tree could be comforting even in the winter!_

 _He took his pawn, and captured her King._

 _She froze, losing all her color for the season as he politely called out, "Checkmate."_

 _It was no use fretting over it; it was no shock that a tree of a century was smarter than a seedling of eight summers. That didn't mean it hurt less though, that the tree had chosen to make her suffer for sunlight instead of allowing a single ray through his clustered leaves._

 _"It is just a game, child." He assured her, now treating her just the same._

…

Princess Zelda and King Daphnes sat on either side of the table, and glared daggers at one another; sizing the other up and down. When she offered mercy, she never thought he would have the audacity to pull something so low as try to usurp her control. Likewise, he seemed to have an expression of "You stole this from me" and didn't appreciate being treated as her equal. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap, feet planted firmly on the ground while she planned her next move. Both were willful Kings, but there was only room for one in this kingdom.

The rest of the council shared a similar level of annoyance, bewilderment, and uncertainty of the development – all talking over one another to make each separate concern heard, but resulting in barnyard sounds. Lord Osmar was, surprisingly, the most adamant about what he had to say in the group. "We took a vote you worthless courtier, doesn't that mean anything?! We signed for her as Princess Royal during this emergency – we signed for a Council Nohansen!"

Alger rolled his eyes and jabbed his quill at the passionate Lord, "It. Was. Temporary! It even says here:... _ **Elected by Council Nohansen to be Princess Royal during King Daphnes the Third's absence**_ – and you all agreed to the terms!"

The two continued their bickering as Earl Kemp agreed that a shift in power may disrupt the momentum of their progress, while Counselor Fane shockingly agreed with the binding legality of the decree. Link came and placed a calming hand on her shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze to try and make her relax, but she didn't even look at him.

King Daphnes laughed, "So this is the famous Hero of Twilight? This runt of a boy supposedly saved my kingdom? No wonder they are only legends."

The sanctuary hushed.

Zelda stayed collected but clenched her jaw so hard her teeth began to ache. "He is more of a man than you shall ever be." Link gasped, not wanting her to fight her own father on his behalf. He didn't understand though; blood meant nothing here.

The King paid no mind to her comment, lifting his rusting crown to slick back sweaty grey locks. "I will not lie," he began, fixing a loose button on his dirtied robes, "I am impressed by how well you have been able to carry my people what with your...condition." He shook his head like it was a contagious disease.

To the left of her, the Resistance watched him as cautiously as she did. He continued, "But playtime is over Princess, you had your chance. I will be taking back control of my kingdom and this stupid quest for little girls will be ending."

"You can not do that." Zelda's voice rose but she did not shout nor flinch, just crinkled her nose slightly in disagreement. "Ask anyone here and they will tell you these girls are important. If you only spoke with them–"

"Why would I waste my time with something so insignificant?" He slammed his fist down to silence her, "While you were playing treasure hunt, you could have been fighting to get my kingdom back."

"You foolish old man!" She shut her eyes and shook her head. "We are not strong enough for such reckless actions."

Lord Osmar jumped in, his blond locks slipping out of his bindings as his beautiful features now appeared old. "Let's take a vote, then."

King Daphnes stood up from his seat and pushed the table away, the wood nearly jamming into Zelda's gut. "Now why would we do that when there is an absolute monarch to make decisions?!"

She chuckled, almost embarrassed for him. He heard her insuboridination and stared her down with a decision playing behind his eyes. He had the option to verbally put her in her place or let it go and move on. This was reminiscent of a memory she could quite remember from her childhood, but she could never forget the result. He had her cornered, and he was too proud of a man to let her beat his King so easily. She wasn't even surprised this time.

"We had a deal Princess," He smirked, "You said if I allowed you to attend the wedding in Ordon, you would relinquish your free will within my reign and pose no more conflict. You made the offer, my precious child."

The group looked at her, hoping it wasn't true, but her silence spoke volumes. Link even tried to see her face, unwilling to believe she would make such a ludicrous pact off her own volition. She wouldn't regret her decision for it may have saved her life, but that doesn't mean their stares didn't push on her shoulders. She could not change the past, and they had made a verbal agreement.

"Then it is settled? Alger, let us begin working, there is much to be done!" The two joyfully began conversing with their backs to the others. The remaining group came over to Zelda with pleading eyes, hoping she would speak. Link knelt down to try and grab her attention, but the sea of faces were beginning to suffocate her. She wanted to cry, but she would not let them see her feel.

"Excuse me," She announced, standing up from her seat and earning a collective sigh. With empty thoughts, she headed out the sanctuary; almost beckoned to the inn like the other broken souls looking for an escape within the confines of a bottle.

…

When Zelda exited the Sanctuary, the village paused in worry toward this black omen. She ignored their stares, their questions – even the small, familiar hand that lowered with big blue eyes. It was too much to take in right now, colors too bright, noises too loud. There had to be something strong enough to dim her senses just long enough so she could gather her thoughts, so she could mute the strong opinions her people voiced in her moment of weakness. Pulling open the sturdy doors of the inn, the princess was greeted with a gust of cool air from the almost empty building. During the day, not many people stayed in the lobby, as they now had purpose in their new home – Zelda and two other men were the only inhabitants.

"...He married a Hylian woman – what a waste! A defective bitch that will only give him mutts." The human male took a hearty gulp of strange liquid, looking away when he noticed Zelda was staring.

"Oi!" A familiar voice called to her, "Princess!" Telma took a damp towel and wiped up an area of the bar, motioning for her to sit on the splintery stool.

Princess Zelda took the invitation happily, as this seat would mean she wouldn't have those two cretins in her sight. She sat and mumbled, "Those two are very rude, I do not understand why you would offer them service."

Telma shrugged, "I'm not rich enough to be picky; they have the rupees, I have the drink. Some people are just bitter, and I'd rather not prove their preconceived ideas about me true – or is something else really bothering you?" She raised a thin brow and crossed her arms.

The brunette royal rested her hands on the bar table and hung her head low. "You did not attend the meeting, so you do not know...I need the strongest thing you have."

Telma appeared to take a small hint of pride in the request, her eyes shimmering in excitement. She pulled an oblong bottle out from behind the counter and removed the cork, pouring its contents in a short glass and passed it to the princess. Zelda reached out and grabbed it gingerly, holding it up into the light so she could inspect its rich amber color.

"Rumbullion," The older woman described, "It's fairly new and packs a punch. Take it in gulps."

Princess Zelda only half-listened; she was a grown adult and had drank her fair share of wines and meads at parties, so she knew what she was doing. Holding it up to her nose, it smelled overwhelming with an odd hint of vanilla extract – but it was far from a delicious odor. Pressing the cool glass against her lips, she took a dainty sip she regretted the moment the liquor burned the skin of her mouth all the way down her throat in slow agony. She coughed, nearly choking from the strange sensation it left in her chest, a fuzzy heat filling up the cold disappointment.

The red strands of Telma's hair swayed in laughter as she covered her mouth, reiterating, "Gulps! You can't sip this stuff."

Zelda tilted her head back and swallowed as much as she could, as fast as she could, trying to taste as little as possible. Its burn was a lot more contained and bearable, sinking to the pit of her stomach and keeping her warm like a fireplace. She set the empty glass down and requested, "Another please."

…

"What – no, you can't leave yet!" Rusl whisper-shouted at Link from their corner of the room. After the Princess had left, Council Nohansen was still trying to convince the King that his decision was a bad one, continuously throwing out large diplomatic words that sounded like babble talk. King Daphnes was ignoring them, too busy playing with his hair and crown. The ruler of Hyrule was a lot...smaller than he expected.

It wasn't that he was short per say, but he looked more like a fat teddy bear than the menacing head of a ruling family. Link groaned like a teenage boy and rolled his eyes at Rusl, foot tapping anxiously in yearning to run out those doors and find wherever the princess had run off to. She looked emotionless, and that meant trouble most of the time.

"No, we can't leave until the King dismisses us!" Rusl smacked his knee against his, making the rancher gasp in pain. There wasn't time to waste, he needed to find her fast, he needed to help her in any way he could! He hated to see her so unhappy, looking like a beaten child.

They wouldn't care if he was here or not; the Princess herself had said that he was _her_ entourage, so when she was excused that included him...right? This was all too confusing – if he didn't act fast, she could be get lost inside her mind again, he couldn't allow that! Subtly he slinked toward the door and out the Sanctuary (Rusl, Shad, Auru, and Ashei all casting him dirty looks as he did so) and searched through the crowd for soft brown hair and cold blue eyes. Loud conversations and cart-pulling made it difficult to focus, so he looked closely.

Fuana was sitting on the porch in front of Malo Mart with her nose in a book, skimming over the pages quickly. Behind her, Naru held a thin stick that had a spider on the tip, dangling it above Fuana's head before she positioned it correctly, and began lowering it down in evil anticipation. He made a noise to grab their attention, but when Fuana looked up, she saw the wiggling bug and screamed, "EEEEeeeee!" falling back and shielding herself with the medical book.

Naru burst out in uncontrollable laughter, holding her ribs as salty tears ran down her cheeks.

"T-That wasn't funny!" Fuana smacked her arms, red like a cherry.

Naru disagreed. "Hey Big Brother," she greeted, "What's up?"

Link turned to look at the Sanctuary, then back at the girls.

"She went in there," Naru pointed to the inn with a frown. "She looked upset."

She probably ran into her room to hide again, he would check there. Just as he was about to head for the door, Naru stopped him, tugging at his tunic till he knelt in front of her. She ran her sticky hands through his hair and situated the locks the way she liked it, and convinced Fuana to help, no matter how begrudgingly. The nine-year-old gave him a thumbs-up and smiled, "Go get her!"

He couldn't help but smile, patting both girls on the head before heading out. When he reached the door it swung open before his could touch the knob. It was Ilia, and she appeared windblown and tired. When their eyes met, she sighed in relief, "Praise Hylia you're here, maybe you can stop her."

His childhood friend grabbed him by the arm and pulled him inside, leaving him in the room. Telma waved her arms at him in S.O.S, thankful for his presence. He walked to the bar where a drunk sat, only to notice the closer he got that it was–

"I am a Zelda dammit, he cannot do this to me!"

Princess Zelda spoke like cotton balls filled her mouth, and her eyes saw little as her body controlled itself. Telma put her hands together in prayer, "Thank the Gods you came! She's six ounces in, and I'm cutting her off!"

"Good, I do not want anymore," She took another hearty gulp, a fluffy blush appearing on her skin. When he got close enough, she noticed his presence, and reached out to grab his arm, liquor seeping out her pores as her hands trailed all over him. "Oh! Hi Link, join me! I was telling Telma about my dad – the prick."

He made a sound to try and stop the conversation but she was too inebriated to understand the most simple forms of body language. She slammed her fist down, her glass falling over and rolling away. "Do you know how frustrating it is, to spend your whole life preparing for something only to have it taken from you?" She grabbed her head roughly, probably to stop the world from moving so slowly, and seethed, "I missed playing with dolls, having suitors, having fun, for this position, and then it is gone!"

She reached down to pick up the dropped glass and tried to take the last drops between her lips. "This job is not easy, and...Did you ever know your parents?" She squinted at him as if he was bright like the sun. He was not given time to respond before she continued her rant, "My mother was so pretty, but half human! Pretty, and no one loved her. Not her daddy, and mommy was a maid, but she was pretty. Is that why she did not love me, because no one cared for her, and I was not pretty? Brown hair like dirt reminding her of human blood – pfft, all I wanted was to feel loved and hear her say my name! I was a good girl – I would love me – but she hated me…"

The Princess tried to pour herself another glass but she couldn't quite keep the bottle in her grasp, so he tried to stop her. She just turned to face him and waved her hands around like they were new toys. "What kind of mom treats her child like a stranger? Am I like a rat, am I a pet no one wants? I had a pet rat...no it was a mouse...dog! I had a dog, but I could not play with it...Did you have pets? Or friends? Those are the same thing right?" A sharp cry cut her voice as she strained to keep calm. "Mama and Papa should love their baby, not ruin her! Fuana's fake father cried when she left, and what do I get? It is no fair! But that is life – and I am a victim of her chaos? You never let me win you bastard, you like beating children in games because they cannot fight – I am no child, dammit!"

"It's not even five Princess." He stated sadly, brushing stray strands of hair off her sweaty brow, motioning for Telma to bring a glass of water. Zelda reached her hand up and returned the gesture, except running her palm across his face rather than a nimble finger.

She tripped over her own tongue before hissing, "You! I remember now, you can not get away with this! Come here and kiss me already if you're not gonna ask!" She tried to pull him over, puckering her lips and making loud kissing sounds.

Link gasped in surprise, pulling back with a blush as she seemed to be using all her strength. When she noticed him move away, she crossed her arms and scolded him with a tight frown, "I have been in love with you for four years, did you know that? And only recently did I let myself admit it because I was afraid to get my heart broken, yet here we are! Do you feel the same – who bloody knows, you turn into gibberish when it comes to romance, so I wonder if you think me a sister or cousin instead."

His mind stopped and eyes widened in shock, unsure what to do or say with what he heard. How did he feel? He thought it was obvious, wasn't it? She pouted so innocently; his heart hurt from her words. Was it really four years? That would mean–

"Gentlemen implore courtship! C-O-R-T-S-I-P!" Zelda reached over and pinched his behind with giggle. His jaw dropped.

Zelda shoved her finger in his face threateningly, the bitter alcohol pungent on her breath. "My grandmother was in love with the Hero of Time – he was her first and only love, and she hesitated, so he left! Disappeared – Poof – just as the legends say. She missed her chance and married a man for land rights and an heir, but she never loved him!"

A strange memory popped into his head, the golden wolf he knew as a great warrior spirit. The way he spoke somberly of regrets and his past, of a Hyrule of yore – mentoring him in the way of the blade and life. A Hero's shade – a ghost with unfinished business. Was he at peace now?

"I do not want this to happen to me," her bottom lip fell, "but I am so scared. Break my heart already if you want, but do not leave me wondering," She paused but ended with: "I want another drink."

Like a defiant five-year-old, she flipped her hair and turned away from him, struggling against him as he tried to help her up. Eventually, he got her to her feet where she stumbled and leaned against him for support. It was difficult work getting her to move toward the stairs, but it was worth it. He swung her arms over his neck and carried her into her room, smiling to himself as he imagined how horrid her hangover would be. She verbally fought him when he suggested she get in bed, but the moment her head touched the pillow, she was out cold. He reached for the spare pillows and placed them beside her, pushing her into a position on her side, so if she vomited she wouldn't drown. At her bedside he left a bottle of clean water, and using her quill and parchment, left a note in sloppy handwriting.

Just as he prepared to leave and find Fuana, a small sigh left Zelda's mouth, and he paused indefinitely. It would be impolite to kiss a maiden without her permission, so in compromise, he pressed his lips upon her forehead in a chaste motion. She smiled in her sleep, and within his mind a seed was planted.

...

She woke up the next morning smelling like a distillery, her pores secreting all the alcohol she ingested the day before, now feeling sick and woozy. The sweetest of drinks tasted sour in this hungover state – she had thankfully woken up to an empty bucket at the edge of her bed and was already in the optimal position to regurgitate her guts out. She made a mental note to limit her intake of rumbullion so to avoid the agony of companionship with the metal object. There was a messy note on her bedside instructing she drink the water in the bottle, and she gladly did so to try and purge herself of the disgusting feeling – her mind a complete blank of the night before.

Her father upset her and she went for a drink, that's all she remembered; and someone had been kind enough to bring her back to her room. She groaned in embarrassment at the possibilities of her actions. The day was hell – Link would come in and bring her food just so she could throw it back up a few minutes later. She told him and the others it was food poisoning, but something told her the knight had his doubts. Was it worth the few hours of serenity?...She wasn't sure yet.

...

The next day, Ilia and Elric were the first to check on her, informing that her presence was needed, and using a wet towel she tried to clean the residual green from her face.

"How much did you have?" Elric asked in genuine concern, but Ilia smacked his arm scoldingly.

"I do not wish to even think about it," Her eyes burned with how bright everything was. She wasted a whole day on spirits, and even though it was a nice distraction,, it put her in a bad mood when all was said and done. Elric and Ilia took her to the Spring where Alger and a Zora man bickered – she recognized the aquatic diplomat as Regis, the courtier of Prince Ralis. And, scanning the area, she saw said King and his people stand awkwardly, pouring bottles of water over their silvery skin.

"You can not stay here." Alger turned them away, raising his nose up, "The King's orders."

"Typical of King Daphnes. You will regret making enemies out of the Zora people!" Regis narrowed his glossy eyes threateningly.

"What is this?" Princess Zelda injected herself into the conversation, King Ralis running up to greet her.

"Princess, please do not worry yourself with this." The teenager clasped his hands together and pleaded.

She shook her head, "No, this is wrong, why are we turning them away?"

King Daphnes slinked out of whatever rock he was hiding under to confront her; the party of Zoras all stepping back fearfully. "We do not have room for them."

Regis spat, possibly sore from having his own words thrown back at him, thinking it was their intent. Princess Zelda furrowed her brows and said, "Poppycock, they can stay in the Hot Springs and the pool behind the spring. I extended a formal invitation to King Ralis when he offered me refuge, it would be rude to ignore it."

The King only appeared more disinterested than before, almost ignoring her to stare at the crowds of people who scowled in his direction and threw dirty looks. He frowned deeply, displeased like a fish out of water. A few brave souls even had the heart to shout out, "Let 'em stay!"

King Daphnes still didn't seem to care, but she knew what cogs were turning in his mind. _Wartime is not a place of drinking and debauchery,_ she telepathically tried to speak to him even though he would never hear it, _you are out of your element._

He turned to Alger and covered his lips. "I have thought about what you had said last time, Princess Zelda, and you know this terrain better than I do. I will allow Council Nohansen to continue governing the way it has, but with strict limitations. I have final say as King of Hyrule – you better not disappoint me."

"But Your Highness–" Alger's jaw dropped.

"I've made my decision." He snapped.

Zelda knew, laced between those words was a string of truth that read: _I don't know how to lead so I'll let you do it._ She'd take anything she could get, but the people were not having any of it. Their sour glares shifted to her, they wanted some sort of fighting reaction, but they had no idea how this game was played. He was still their King, even if they hated him for it.

"Princess," King Ralis came up to her, Regis beside him.

She turned to face both men and held her hand out to Regis. "I offer you an olive branch as head of Council Nohansen. We wish to apologize and follow through with our invitation."

"There is no hard feelings, do not worry." King Ralis smiled, nudging Regis with his elbow to make him bow. He did so, but was too proud to look her in the eye as he did it.

"I wish to call a meeting. It is important we find out why you have left the Domain in the first place – there is a deep pool behind the spring; your people may stay where they feel comfortable." She made sure to look at all the uncomfortable faces of the families behind him – the group seemed oddly small.

Ralis sighed, his scales turning to a dull grey as he did so. "We should go, then. I do not bear good news, though."

Within the Sanctuary, everyone sat, uninspired and cold. King Daphnes plunked at the head of the table and drank from his cup without saying a word, and as Ralis retold his story, Earl Kemp and Viscount Osmar couldn't stay in their seats.

"It began shortly after you left the Domain," King Ralis began, making eye contact only with the princess, "The fish seemed to just...disappear from Lake Hylia, and our scouts reported these strange creatures unlike we've ever seen before roaming the shore. There were more Bulblin forces than these black mists, but they seemed to control the Blin; so we made sure no one left the Domain. It was difficult in the beginning; however, we were able to survive through strict rations as we thought up a plan to bring the fish back. That was when an old woman came to the Domain – said she worked for the royal family."

"An oracle," Zelda spat, crossing her arms at the development.

"I assumed so. She came to try and instigate a surrender, saying you did the same and they would spare us," The gills on his neck began to quiver and flare, "Words like that killed my mother! So I banished the woman, but she did something to the water," His breathing began to quicken in remembrance, "It became black and murky like tar, o-or inkwells! Anyone who drank or swam in it became aggressive and ill until they...melted."

The room inhabitants glimpsed at one another, unsure how literal the young King's words were. Perturbed, the Princess questioned, "Melted?"

His silver bangles clanged as he nodded, disturbance making his gills green. "Yes...Like wax candles." A chill inundated everyone around him. "They would just melt into pools of ebony liquid! This was magic unlike any we have seen, so we fled. I knew the oracle was lying, so we came here."

Regis placed a hand of paternal concern on the young man's shoulder to guide him back into expected behavior. Princess Zelda wanted King Daphnes to be shaken by the depravity of his decision to insist on hiring those disloyal witches, but he was only distant. Nothing crossed his face, not even sympathy – just unfocused attention on his fingernails. She wanted to roll her eyes at him. "We are sorry for your loss; we too have lost a few of our own to those she-devils. We were lucky enough to be ignorant of the aftermath of their intervention, but now we know."

King Ralis supplicated with clasped hands, "We promise to leave as soon as possible, but please let my people stay and rest. We have little to offer but helping hands and a few herbs and fish."

"Do not worry yourself with such trivial matters," the council nodded with Zelda's statement, "We must stick together as a people of light. The Zora are forever welcomed here."

Ralis beamed, a newfound optimism making his jade eyes shimmer like spring water. Regis, on the other hand, looked just as old and distrusting as usual, still not particularly fond of Zelda or her father. Baby steps, she supposed.

"Your Highness," Earl Kemp begged her attention, "Permission to speak?"

She nodded.

He stood up and straightened his coat, turning to face the Zoras with confidence. "I say we utilize our homegrown soldiers and reclaim the Domain."

Ashei stood up from her seat along the outside of the room and stepped forward, Rusl grabbing her arm. Zelda saw this aggressive reaction and frowned. The aquatic man tried to stifle the hope that rose from his chest. "You could do that?"

"Can we?" Princess Zelda asked the Resistance, observing the way Ashei clenched her jaw.

"Technically speaking, yes. But I don't think my men are ready, and no politician should volunteer them so willingly." She spat until Shad was finally able to sit her back down.

Earl Kemp scoffed, secure in his decision. "I say we take a vote on it, but imagine this: If we take back the Domain, that means we have another source of food and an upper hand on the enemy. If we just let these monsters keep us cornered in this village while we try and pretend everything is okay, Hyrule is lost. We need to begin reclaiming our land as soon as possible."

Everyone chewed on the thought as the vote began.

Viscount Osmar did not hesitate with, "Nay."

Earl Kemp side-glanced him, but held his composure, "Yay."

Counselor Fane, a frown on his face as he felt pressured by the many eyes on him, mumbled, "Yay."

Shaman Renado shook his head religiously, "Nay."

Mayor Bo took a long moment but finally voted, "Yay."

Telma, although not a member of Council Nohansen, representing the Resistance with a loud, "Nay."

Elric proudly voted, "Nay."

When Alger came to King Daphnes, he was twiddling his thumbs, probably not even paying attention like an impatient child. When asked for his vote, he casually said, "Give it to whichever side is in the minority."

A pang of childish anger consumed her – she wanted nothing more than to stand up and throw a tantrum saying, "You cannot do that – that is against the rules!" but thought against it. She was the last choice, and weighed the options equally. It would be good to try and conquer their land, but were their men ready to face those shadows? She definitely wasn't.

The metallic clanks of an individual struggling to turn a doorknob pulled the whole group's attention to the front of the Sanctuary. Eventually, the door swung open, and a frantic Naru stumbled over her two bare feet into the room, heaving from her sprint. She cried out, "You can't go to battle!"

"Naru." Princess Zelda searched for Link to command he remove her from the premise when she noticed he was nowhere to be seen.

Fuana came in shortly after, grabbing Naru by the arm and attempting to pull her out, face red as a beet in embarrassment. "L-Let's go – I am so s-sorry!" Her stutter increased and trembled with the nervousness in her body.

"I've seen it; if you take the soldiers to the Domain it'll be a massacre! You have to start small to keep casualties low, or else you'll run out of warriors." Naru vibrated in adrenaline.

Princess Zelda took her words to heart, thinking harder on the idea. Maybe they were too eager to branch out at the moment. King Daphnes stood up sharply and the two children jumped back.

He growled, "No wonder everything is in such disarray, you let children just burst into adult matters! Princess Zelda, you better put a muzzle on that pup of yours – it doesn't even have shoes, but you let it speak so freely."

A harsh blush colored Naru's pale face, and she silenced herself in front of the daunting male, but Fuana wanted nothing to do with it. She clenched her fists and pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her wrinkled nose. "Excuse me sir, she has a name! Y-You can't talk to people like that!"

Veins protrude on his temples as he glowered at the outspoken girl, ready to walk over and smack her across the mouth. When he started for them, Princess Zelda stood from her seat and stepped in front of him, challenging. Sensing the gravity of the action, Fuana cowered back into her bubble of silence but blocked Naru from his view as he glared over Zelda's shoulder.

"Step aside." He commanded quietly.

Princess Zelda glanced back at the girls and then at the buttons of his shirt, holding her ground. "Those two are in my charge, you have no right to discipline them."

"I cannot strike you because you are a Princess of Hyrule, but if you do not get out of my way, I will have to punish you in their stead."

"That has never stopped you before." She leered up into his eyes.

"Move." He squinted viciously.

"Stand down. You have no business laying a finger on my children." Naru and Fuana gasped. "Go on little ones," she called out to them, "These are grown-up matters, do not preoccupy yourselves."

Although hesitant, the two exited the scene with the subtle lock of the front door – Princess Zelda and King Daphnes still at each other's throats.

 _Once in a blue moon, the rosebud would get the upper hand on the old tree, using her knight to capture his pawn before he had the chance to take her King. These were the days she cherished like spring showers._

"Your excellence," Alger awkwardly tried to intervene, "We have yet to complete the vote."

Slowly, King Daphnes made his way back to his seat, not taking his eyes off of her for a moment. She too lowered herself back into her chair and sighed.

"Tsk," Earl Kemp shook his head, continuing a conversation that had died after the confrontation he hadn't seemed to notice happened, "If we don't use our new soldiers, then I will just take my personal army to the Domain. Prove that child wrong."

"What is this about a personal army?" Princess Zelda snapped, already tired from one headache today.

"His supposed super soldiers came in last night, Your Highness," Ashei snitched, "He's been harboring them in the watchtower."

He swiftly turned to make obscene gestures at her. "She lies, Your Highness, I wished to wait for an appropriate time to mention their arrival. And now I found one."

"No personal armies," Zelda announced, "If they are to stay here, they work under the banner of the Guard."

His jaw dropped, "They are my men Your Majesty." Ashei looked smug about the whole situation.

"That is why I expect you to work with the Captain of the Guard," She watched as both Ashei and Lord Kemp shouted in anger. "I know you both do not have the friendliest relationship, but I need strong military leaders, not buddies. And whether you like it or not, you both have varying experience and expertise. You both must resolve your differences and work together for the greater good."

"What is your decision on the Domain then, Your Highness?" King Ralis added in, shivering in anticipation.

She sighed with a heavy heart. "I know you want your home back; however, I must give a nay, at least until we are more prepared. The vote is inconclusive, so I say we try again later when an opportunity reveals itself."

…

With the meeting finally over, Zelda happily exited the the suffocating room to breath the fresh air outside, standing alongside Impaz who washed her hands in the cool spring water. The Resistance left to begin their afternoon patrols, while Lord Osmar and Counselor Fane stayed indoors to try and cool Lord Kemp down. It may have been stressful in the moment, but Zelda felt whole again, discussing and organizing her broken nation. It was a relief to have the council back, and she felt so confident about her abilities! A smile threatened to peek out, had it not been for the reminder that Link was still nowhere to be seen.

 _Not again,_ she thought to herself, hoping she hadn't said something to bother him in her drunken trance. Gods, she was so embarrassed for being careless with her liquor, but it was so calming.

"Princess," Impaz began, "Would you mind following me?"

"Hm? Oh, of course." She and the Princess began for the cemetery, when the crunching of boots under rocks pulled her attention, and turning her body, she ran into the approaching figure with a thud. Petals and leaves exploded in her face like a floral bomb, and behind the veil of destruction was a startled Link who – although they were now mostly stems – held a bouquet of random wild flowers in his hands. Naru and Fuana stood behind him and covered their mouths at the carnage, and Zelda was unsure what to say.

He looked down at the wounded plants in his grasp and then at Zelda, eyes wide and mouth closed tightly. Impaz cleared her throat and it seemed to reawaken him. He grunted in greeting.

"I am sorry, you frightened me...What are those flowers for?" She raised a brow.

He jumped before pulling at the collar of his tunic and held the remaining flora out to her, smiling nervously. "Uh...Would you, Princess Zelda of Hyrule, let me–"

"Allow!" Impaz tried to mask with a loud cough.

"–Allow me, Link, to court you publically."

She could see Impaz offer him a thumbs-up of reassurance. Princess Zelda froze in disbelief. Did her ears deceive her? She pinched herself, hoping it wasn't a dream, but the pain of her heart ready to explode from her chest was all she needed. She couldn't contain herself and jumped to wrap her arms around his neck, more comfortable than ever in giving such an intimate gesture, tears of joy stinging her dark eyes.

"Yes." She laughed, and he did the same, holding her closely.

Naru made vomiting noises and Fuana turned away, speckles of green appearing on the tips of her pointed ears. Impaz shouted at the two, pushing to stand between them and grab a sick Naru, putting her in the middle.

"Make room for the Goddess!" She scolded, "I may like you boy, but courtship has rules! First rule…"

Princess Zelda wasn't listening, she couldn't peel her eyes off of the man in front of her who shined like a thousand suns. It was too surreal, never in a million years would she think her wildest fantasies could become reality. How did he know what to say? His brows furrowed, was that doubt – no, he just realized he requested to court royalty, that must be stressful, but nothing he can't handle. What should she do now, should she call him sweet names and gift him her handkerchief? Goodness, this was a lot more intimidating than she expected it to be; she did not know how to approach courtship, her mother was a wanton and women of the court avoided her. Gods, why was he not speaking – had he courted women before and now was judging her reaction? _Say something girl, do not just smile like a lunatic!_ She touched her heated cheek to try and hide the redness.

Link grinned from ear to ear, a sweet blush gracing his tanned skin as he jokingly stated, "You can kiss me again if you want."

"Pecks!" Impaz shouted, pointing an aged finger at the two.

She closed her eyes and allowed him to place so sweet a chaste kiss against her lips that warmed her from head to toe. She smiled, "I am unsure how to continue now. I have never been courted before, as embarrassing as that sounds."

"Me neither," he laughed, his brows furrowed in a manner that screamed they just go with the flow of it all. _Thank the Goddesses,_ she mentally sighed. She had wished she could enjoy the event more, but reality was a cruel mistress, and her attention was pulled away by the cries of her name.

Lord Osmar called out to her, pointing into town at something she couldn't see from her position. Her and Link exchanged glances before sending the girls off with Impaz and running to the main road. People were being told by the guard to enter their homes for their own safety as a hive of Resistance forces seemed to drag something through the town, Ashei leading with the jar of sunlight in her hand.

"Take it to the jail!" Rusl led, running from the horde to met the Princess and other members of the Council who exited the Sanctuary.

"What is the meaning of this?" King Daphnes wondered alongside the princess.

Rusl shook in a combination of nervous yet excited energy, fire pumping through his veins as blond locks sparkled with perspiration. "Your Majesties, we captured a shadow!"

Link grabbed Zelda's hand, uncomfortable with the idea of the monsters so near. She squeezed back to try and reassure him all was well, but like a loyal hound, he continued to stay on alert. "How was this possible, or better yet, is it safe to house it here as a prisoner?" She furrowed her brows, ignoring the prying eyes of a nosy courtier.

"We'll explain everything, just please, you have to see it!" He motioned for them to follow.

This was the first time she had visited the inside of the jail. From the outside it appeared mundane like any other building in Kakariko, but when the door clicked open, something changed. A stiffness ghosted over her skin like phantom pains on a severed limb. Guards – although dressed in different armor than Sutter's with much thicker plates – exited the building to make room for her and the others. Their presence made her more apprehensive with their pigface bascinet that hid their features and intentions. They bowed their heads politely at them and rumbled, "Your Majesty," to her father and "Your Highness" to her. These men must have been Earl Kemp's men.

The room was poorly lit by the slivers of sunlight that beamed between the boards on the window. It smelled of desperation and rust, dirt floor muddied in a mystery liquid. Ashei stood in the crammed cell, face hard in aversion toward the figure sitting in the corner, jar tightly in her hand. Princess Zelda stepped forward, close to the bars but never touching them. Link huffed to grab her attention, making an effort to step forward, but she heard Alger's squawk of distaste along with the snap of clothing trying to keep up with a quick moving limb.

"Speak." The warrior threatened, rounded ears red in frustration at the unresponsiveness of her prisoner. The creature hissed at her, shifting into the normal form of a mustached man, grey skin covered in bubbling black freckles. Like Dark, his eyes were bottomless pits that, if you lingered too long, entrapped you in an abyss of turmoil. It spoke in echoes and archaic tongue purposely, grinning in amusement at the lost expressions of his audience until the Princess responded.

He had stated a word that, when translated, was a curse toward Hylia's purity – a word that spoke paragraphs of vulgarity toward a beacon of innocence. Zelda scolded his use of the language, and accused him of cowardice with each twist of her tongue and purse of the lips. It was displeased with being caught as well as her judgement.

"It used our dead dialect...fascinating," Auru rubbed his chin as Shad swiftly jotted down the scene at hand.

"Princess Zelda has reproached it." King Daphnes translated. Was there approval in his voice?

Ashei whipped her head back to glare spitefully at the imposter and pushed the illuminated jar toward it, a loud sizzle following its deafening cries. "Devil!" It spat at her, twisting and writhing on the floor in pain.

"Who is your Commander? Answer me!" She commanded, but it reached up to claw at its face; thick black strings growing from his lips and sewing them shut.

The black-haired woman rubbed her temples to help return to her natural state of ease. She began, "We were on our usual patrol of the outer perimeter. Earl Kemp's men caught this cretin sneaking around the gates, and I was able to use your gift to stun the beast. He's a runt, but we may be able to get information out of him."

"I see." Princess Zelda felt uneasy.

"They're intelligent," King Daphnes stepped up to stand beside the Princess and smirked, "But he refuses to speak, yet words aren't they only way we receive information...is it Princess?"

Her skin began to crawl, and she reached up to snatch the bars tightly, lowering her head. "We will not be doing that, King Daphnes." She buried those memories alongside the daisies in the castle garden.

"What is it?" Rusl asked for the remaining group.

The large Hylian man frowned at her. "One of the Princess's many talents she refuses to use."

"It is illegal King Daphnes, and it has been for years." She snapped back, "There are many illegal magics, and this is one of them. He wishes for me to travel the memories of this creature, but such action is very dangerous. "

He rolled his eyes. "We captured many enemy forts using the information you extracted–"

"It killed the subjects and nearly me. As a child, I had to use an assistant to act as the explorer while I served as the catalyst; often times, neither they nor the prisoner would survive. That is how temperamental it is. The victim must be either very weak or willing for me to enter their memories, and even inside there is a limit – I will not be doing that ever again, King Daphnes." Her grip loosened and her hand fell beside her. How could she have forgotten such horrors from her past? They returned to her in full force: the unseeing eyes of the men chained to the wall, the shadows across their face as they looked to her for mercy – the only light in a dark room coming from her fingertips – and the swift death that often overcame them. She hoped it was painless.

King Daphnes snarled, "If you do not wish to do your duty for your country, so be it! There are bound to be more magic users in this village...that blue-haired girl: if she is a goddess she must be more than capable."

Link rushed him just as quickly as Zelda had, but when Alger held him back, the Princess was able to grab her father's wrist.

 _The rosebud wrapped her stem tightly around a branch of the tree, waiting for him to rustle in approval. He patted her petals gently so not to disrupt their order._

"She is just a child, and not even close to where I was at her age," Princess Zelda reasoned, releasing him rapidly.

"Time for her to learn then."

"Gods!" She growled at his lack of compassion, "Fine. I shall do it, just leave Naru out of it." He smiled in pleasure. Link was able to push past Alger's arms and place his hands on Zelda's elbows, concern clouding him. "I will be fine," she tried to reassure, "As an adult I should be able to do it by myself."

She entered the cell and knelt down beside Ashei's feet, a good foot away from the shadow that returned to a state of wispy plasma. She turned to cast her father one last blank look, eyes dark like the bottom of a well. He was impossible, but the sooner she started, the sooner it would end.

The shadow, now weak and indifferent, did not flinch when she held both hands out and exhaled. She bared her palms out to it, closing her eyes to connect to the universe and search for inner peace, begging the spirits to grant her entrance to the flow of mana in the air. Her fingertips twitched when a spark shot through her, and with the index finger of her right hand, she touched the slimy forehead of the creature. She opened her eyes, but all she could see was darkness, body lost in the empty space as she travelled deeper and deeper – images splashing around her like paint on a canvas. Slowly it began to make sense, make a recognizable image, becoming clearer and clearer until –

No, something wasn't letting her in. It was fighting her, or rather, something inside him was. The grey pigments melted away again, and she was left in darkness, and behind the blank canvas were a pair of eyes born of flames. Her eyes shot open and she pulled away, a burning in her chest and throat that caused her to lean forward and cough violently. The shadow released a final sigh and burst into fine black ashes.

"It died." Said Rusl.

Princess Zelda continued to violently cough, Link swung open the door and ran to her, rubbing her back. In her palm was blood, and she praised Hylia that this was the only outcome. "He...refused my entry. Wanted death more than cooperation."

"That was a waste of time then." King Daphnes groaned.

Link glared at him, but the Princess patted his knee, knowing it was a waste of his time harboring such distaste for the King. He held her close as she stood up, Ashei patting her arm in worry.

"Go visit the clinic and get yourself checked out," Ashei advised, "Link, can you come with me."

He faltered, his hand resting on her waist in a subconscious effort to keep Zelda secure. She touched his arm, nodding her head to convince him she could handle the trip alone. He bit his lip yet didn't argue, leaning in but pausing to bow his head in front of the King instead. He left with Zelda not too far behind.

She considered bumping into her father but fought against the urge. As she stepped outside, the clearing of a long throat caught her attention. Alger followed her out and stepped away from the door, requesting she follow him. "What is it." She frowned.

"I see you have begun a little affair with our rancher boy." He blanketed her in scandal, disapproving and rude in his manners.

A crowd was watching her but not in listening distance. They seemed just as judgemental and cold. "It is not an affair, he requested to court me and I accepted." She was tired of his involvement in her life.

He huffed, "You are a betrothed woman. If Neighsdon discovered this liaison, we will be in ruins! The Companions Convention relies on this marriage to work."

 _Liar._

"Look around you. I highly doubt Neighsdon will still be interested in a Kingdom of what, a few hundred people? Now if you will excuse me, I must see the doctor." She tried to walk forward but Alger blocked her path once more. "You _will_ remove yourself from my presence."

"You haven't told him, have you?"

Guilt whispered in her ear.

"Enjoy this...tryst while you can Your Highness, but you and I both know it can not last. The Duchess was lucky to have as much human blood as she had, but you – a quarter of human essence cannot stifle an eons worth of instinct." He was trying to sound caring, but she could read through his beady eyes.

Her stomach dropped, but she wouldn't let that stop her.

"When Prince Harod does arrive – and believe my prediction that he will – you have a duty to fulfill."

She scoffed, "You have been wrong before...To hell with the Companions Convention."

Held back anger made his skin and eyes shake, "It's because of an attitude like this that you were rebuked queenship!"

Her jaw clenched tighter as people began to stop and watch their exchange. She tried keeping her voice down but the gall of this man wounded her judgement. "How dare you speak such lies! You knew the conspiracy in the castle was occuring; the injustice of stealing my birthright!"

Alger clucked, "You may have been born a Zelda, and studied for what, less than two decades? But King Daphnes – he spent his whole life being told he would inherit the crown, going through the rigorous motions for years only to have his mother go on a whim and change what she thought was a _better direction for Hyrule._ You have no right feeling cheated." He glanced away – maybe that was a slip of information he hadn't intended to give.

It was thought provoking, but the pestering accusations of silent eyes was weighing down on her. This was not the place to debate his honesty. She ended with a sigh, "I have no time for this – If you will excuse me, I must see the doctor."

He hesitated, but ultimately moved away from her path, holding his thin talon-like hands behind his back. As expected, he bowed to her as she left, but she knew it was only out of courtesy.

…

She was lucky the line to the clinic was non-existent this time of the day, yet the doctor was still insistent on having her wait an extended period of time to meet with him. Doctor Borville eventually sat her down on a tavern bench blanketed in white linens, and requested she wait even longer after that. It gave the Princess plenty of time to investigate her surroundings: the sterile smells, plain walls, and drapes falling from the ceiling to form divides in the room. Notes were pinned to the walls but scribbled in such poor handwriting it became unintelligible. Fuana would enter and replace these notes with what could be assumed as her own handwriting, and she read they were messages about proper hygiene.

"How are you liking it here little one?" Zelda wondered, watching as the child removed her white work gloves just to replace them with a cleaner pair.

She smiled, "I-I really feel like I'm making a difference here. The Doctor is a lot less sc-sc-scary after you get to know him." She continued to move throughout the clinic, lighting lanterns and mixing up concoctions Zelda assumed would become the medicine vials they had lined up on the shelf across the room. Fuana sat at the desk in the corner of the room and worked diligently, taking notes when she could with gusto. The girl with thyme-colored hair had a large future ahead of her; with a heart as strong as a lion, she could conquer any field.

"Your Highness." The Doctor finally appeared, his teal shoes dragging across the wooden floor as he shuffled toward her.

"Doctor Borville, I have come for a check-up." She informed.

He pulled up a chair and began inspecting her body with various instruments, and tools measured her vitals. "Seems to me that it was a basic case of magic exertion."

She heard Fuana stop her task to listen in more. Princess Zelda agreed, "The King wished I use a very energy-consuming magic just now."

He held a long metallic trunk to her chest and listened for something. "With the ability to bend the laws of the universe, the user must give something up in return. That is why I rely on science and all her possibilities rather than greedy spirits – but I still appreciate your efforts." The doctor nearly poked her in the eye with his snout as he leaned in to inspect her eyes. "I think all you need is a good night's rest and a hearty meal. I could offer you some supplements since you seem to be lacking in certain vital nutrients. Have you been sleeping well at night?"

He knew the answer, but wanted her to say it. She pointed her eyes at the curious Fuana. He understood, and sent the girl off with a bag of Rupees to pick up supplies at the Malo-Mart.

"Many nights, it is hard to stay asleep. I have–"

"Warrior's Heart, I know. I can see the scratch marks on your neck and your heart palpitates a little too often. Something bothered you recently, so your breathing increased as well – I can imagine you experience vivid flashbacks, almost like you travelled back to that time. Mood swings, recklessness, difficulty to focus, feelings of being on edge. Textbook case." She didn't appreciate how boredly he diagnosed her.

"Then if you know," hope punched her body to lean forward, "Then you must have a cure?"

He closed his mossy eyes and exhaled. How often had he heard this request before? "No," He articulated, "This is an illness of the mind, Your Highness. If there was a medicine to cure a wounded soul, I would be a lot richer than I am now."

She knew the answer, why did she expect a miracle?

Doctor Borville acted cold toward her disappointment, brushing it off to focus on what lingered on the tip of his tongue. He locked doors and closed windows, dropping his voice down to a whisper. "I have many patients come through here Your Highness, and a great many mouths have voiced similar concerns and possible actions."

Her interest piqued.

"With the King back, people are feeling anxious. Fear makes mortals do a great many of stupid things, and since many of them blame the death of their families to rulings made by the Daphnes regime, they believe an uprising is in order."

"That would be a terrible idea," she shook her head, "The last thing we need is a civil war, how can I stop this?"

The Doctor concurred, "I am afraid that any action done on your part may be seem biased to others. A few dare to accuse you of being a puppet of the King for not kicking him out the moment he returned."

"That was not an option, legally I–"

"I know Your Highness, no need to prove it to me. Just keep this mind: the people in this village are not a collective entity. They have varying opinions, and not all of them can be won over, but the King's presence is definitely causing a divide. Proceed with caution." He unlocked the door just as Fuana returned, arms full with produce.

Princess Zelda stared at her hands, the load on her shoulders increasing. What could she do to convince them she had Hyrule's best interest at heart when every breath she took could be interpreted as being scripted? Maybe the festival didn't work as seamlessly as she originally assumed. She rubbed her head, ready to sleep for an eternity she was so tired.

"How is Fuana doing Doctor Borville? Is she a good assistant?" Princess Zelda queried, keeping her mind occupied by focusing on something other than her struggling kingdom.

The child perked up, but swiftly hid her face behind an herbology book she was reading. The doctor licked his gums in thoughts. "She was a nervous pup at first, and I wasn't sure about mentoring her. But she's really proven herself – she's even taught _me_ a few things."

A compliment from the doctor appeared rare from the way Fuana smiled from ear to ear, flowers turning pinker behind her ears.

"She reminds me of a man I knew a long time ago," he coughed, "You're probably too young to know, but once upon a time, Hyrule had a College of Science. I knew a Hylian professor by the name of Edywn – a brilliant man but too curious for his own good. He'd lock himself up for days at a time until he could prove a hypothesis right or wrong...I wonder what happened to him? I left to study in another kingdom for a while, and when I come back, the college is gone! Knowing how spastic he was, he probably tore it down." He half joked.

Fuana's eyes widened, frowning a deep sadness – wanting to speak up and defend her father's name without knowing how. Princess Zelda was quick to say, "Actually, I remember tales of the college my Grandmother would tell." Fuana's head perked up at the lie.

"Oh really?" He raised a brow.

The Princess nodded, "Yes. And I knew of the Professor Edywn. Last I heard, he was studying in an isolated location, hoping to produce a series of inventions to help teach sciences to the common folk. He sent in a request for a patent; however, we are not legally able to do much in this state."

Fuana's face warmed at the Princess's attempt to better her father's reputation, no matter the lie. The Doctor took it as fact, even commenting on how believable the idea was. He requested his nurse finish up with the appointment and fetch supplements for the Princess while he dealt with a child's whooping cough.

This left the Princess with the reserved twelve-year-old who shamefully held up her scribble book. "I wrote down your s-symptoms without asking, I'm sorry. I've never s-s-seen the effects of magic on the body." She waited for a response.

"I do not mind," the Princess assured.

Fuana sighed in relief, setting her tome down and gathering a handful of various vials. She set them on a tray, made a quick note, and sat down in front of the monarch. She pulled the top off of one bottle and filled a spoon with its white grainy contents.

"What is that?" Zelda inquired, mystified by this so-called product of science. What miracles could it do?

"Oh, it's just sugar," Fuana smiled, "The supplements are very bitter, even more so than Ch-Chu jelly."

Her childish wonder aged like cheap wine. "I see," Zelda hid her previous astonishment with a cough, "I am an adult, I assure you medicine is no challenge for me."

Fuana grew tense. "Are you s-sure? It's nothing like a potion."

She huffed, nose raised high. "Absolutely."

The child fixed her glasses before setting the spoonful of sugar down. She was probably insecure about the Princess's decision, but she need not be. Fuana took a teaspoon and poured the substance of another jar with precision. It was thick and slimy, the shade of fresh lantern oil. Its smell was so repugnant that she could feel it stick to her airways and empty her lungs. "Take a teaspoon once a day. It's n-not really medicine, but y-your body needs the nutrients," Fuana prescribed, holding the spoon to Zelda's lips.

It smelt worse than hard liquor, yet the princess took it in stride. However, the moment the liquid touched her tongue, the hairs on her neck and arms stood, and she lurched to spit the rotten fluid out! It made her toes curl and tasted like poison. Fuana jumped to put her hands over the princess's face and begged," Y-You can't waste it!"

Zelda gave a hard gulp, a shiver running down her spine the moment it hit her belly. The tartness made her mouth salivate and burn, so she quickly grabbed the sugar spoon and downed every grain. She whimpered, "That was horrid!"

"I w-warned you," Fuana began to clean up the mess but took a lengthy pause mid-action.

Princess Zelda continued smacking her lips in an attempt to wash away the offensive taste. "Is everything alright?" She inquired.

"Oh nothing, I–" she tried to pull the subject away but Zelda's intense stare reeled it back. "Papa never delved into the concept of magic and treated it like parlor tricks, y-yet I've observed both Naru and yourself summon such amazing things… I wish to study it."

"As in observance or practice?"

Fuana hid her face, "I-I…"

"If you would like me to teach you little one, you need only ask. I would be happy to do it." She leaned over to try and catch a glimpse of Fuana's face, hoping she would look at her.

The child twiddled her thumbs.

"Naru could even catch you up to our lessons. She is a bit of a slow learner, so we are not too far in," Still no reply, "Fuana, please respond."

The girl turned to reveal eyes like fern leaves after a rainstorm, speckled with tears that ran down her olive face. Princess Zelda's brow furrowed, unsure what she did to upset the girl so much. Fuana sat back down and looked the princess deep in the eyes, opening herself up completely. Zelda continued to be confused.

"I-I'm so sorry," She began to babble, "I feel so ashamed, but when I first met you, I was frightened by your actions and thought you wanted to use me like a tool. But now I know – you are so nice to me, but I've only held ill will. You r-r-r-really do care."

The princess reached over to hold her hands in her own and patted them rhythmically. With the back of her glove, she wiped the tears away and patted Fuana on the head gently, so not to messy her hair. "There there," She whispered, "You need not feel ashamed little one, you were smart to be wary of a stranger. I will admit, taking you from your home may have too forceful, but be assured I have your best interests in mind."

Fuana's sobs ceased but her mouth continued. "You stood up against the King to defend us, but it was my fault for speaking out of line."

"Nonsense, you were showing true valor. Not many can truthfully say they shouted at a monarch."

Fuana shook her head, "I wanted to h-help Naru...And you defended both of us, even if we were in the wrong...It's like...I-I never had a m-mother before – never mind."

Princess Zelda smiled, "Are you saying you think of me a maternal figure?"

The child blushed. "I-I know that statement is out of line as well, b-but I do appreciate how you treat me."

Zelda chuckled, "If it comforts you to see me as a mother, do so. "

"Do you mean that?" She gasped.

"I too never knew what it was like to have a mother," She noted the way Fuana's eyes fell, "so do not fear being upfront about feeling the way you do. I enjoy both you and Naru, and only hope you are comfortable here."

Fuana nodded, "Thank you Princess, tr-truly. You, Naru...and Link, make me oh so happy. I-I miss Papa, but I'm sure he'd be ha-happy knowing how I am." She furrowed her brows and looked up at nothing in thought, nodding as if taking note of a loud thought. "Usually we give patients a treat, b-but may I keep it instead? It's for Naru. She's banned from the clinic, and if I give it to her at night, she lets me read in peace."

"She can be a disturbance," Zelda joked.

Fuana giggled, "A necessary evil – the definition of a little sister, no?"

The two laughed contently, faces stretched in open joy. The clinic held a familiar atmosphere that could cure any illness.

* * *

 **School has left me feeling like a zombie :)**

 **Special thanks:**

 **Ultimate blazer, Ripple, AlixariaSeain, Generala, Guest, Euivy, Sonia, JPH3, chumpatrol1, WrittenInBold, blademage, MisunderstoodDragon , and RAF-Fire.**

 **I'm sure many of you are happy to see the ship has officially set sail - toot toot! Nothing like some romance to bring the spirits up after preparing for finals has crushed your soul :) Things are only just beginning for our heroes.**

 **So, we're pretty deep into the story now and I am curious to hear what you all see in terms of themes or motifs? Or let me know, whose your favorite character and why? I'd say besides Zelda, Fuana is my favorite character to write - she's a fun blend of childish and mature, and who doesn't love a child with a crush on our Hero haha. My editor has a soft spot for Sutter, a minor character in the story, but major in the heart.**

 **My lovely editor, give'em a round of applause: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Alright my lovelies, please feel free to leave any comments, questions, or concern. Stay hydrated, and eat lots of kale.**


	20. Chapter 19

**I have made the mistake of taking a summer class this year. I can't sit in the same seat for three hours without doodling in my notebook professor - No, that's not my classwork that's a chapter I'm working on!**

 **R.I.P My attention span.**

 **Now without further ado!**

* * *

When the sun began her descent, the canyon started to sweat from residual humidity. The village stayed indoors the rest of the evening to escape the honeyed vapor, and devised ways to keep cool: from wet bed sheets, to filling buckets with ice brought to them by the Zora's. Princess Zelda stayed in her room with the door open, diadem on the desk in front of her. Ilia was kind enough to offer putting Zelda's hair up to keep her neck exposed for a cross-breeze, but misjudged how much hair the princess really had – the bun was messy and large, but it served its purpose. It felt good to be able to take her soaked rag and run it behind her neck and forehead.

Ilia was spending an extended amount of time in her chamber actually – it was just an observation, she wasn't bothered by her presence. Originally, Zelda had called her in just to help remove her pauldrons, but she enjoyed the company from the Ordonian woman. As Zelda sifted and wrote up documents at her desk, Ilia sat in a chair beside the door, talking about a plethora of subjects with no direction. Zelda hoped she was a good hostess even if she wasn't one for casual chatting; she never knew what to say, but she did find the whole situation rather enjoyable in a childish way. Ilia didn't seem to mind the occasional phrase of agreement or disagreement, maybe she just wanted to be listened to.

"What do you think?" Ilia inquired, holding out a wooden figurine of horse she had been whittling the whole time.

Zelda inspected the jagged lines and grains of the object, wondering if she wanted a truly honest answer. "It is nice," she turned back to her work, "Is this a hobby of yours?"

"Sorta. I made Link a necklace once from wood, but I've never tried little figures. I saw someone selling mini wooden cats and I felt inspired." She laughed at the end, continuing to smooth some hard lines. Zelda bit her cheek at the idea of Link receiving a gift from another woman. _It was in the past_ , she breathed.

Ilia grinned, "Elric's birthday is in a few days. I hope to give this to him."

"That is nice," Princess Zelda exhaled in odd relief, "But is it not typical for males to offer gifts during courtship?"

Ilia stared at her like a mother listening to her children's version of reality. "I think they appreciate it when we give something instead of take. Shows you appreciate them...You should make Link something!" Her face lit up in excitement, the curl of her blonde locks winding tighter as she held her face in mirth.

Zelda dropped her quill and faced the women, mouth twisted and face white as snow. She mumbled, "We have yet to make our courtship public, how did you–"

"We're common, not stupid Your Highness." Ilia cackled, all in good fun. "We're all happy for you both – some more than others – just don't overthink this. You don't need to hide anything here."

The princess pondered this idea. Public displays of affection are frowned upon in the royal court, formalities and rules very important. Could she relax with it? Link had no knowledge of courtship traditions anyway – maybe it would an experience to go about in a more carefree manner, like Ilia and her beau. Her lips fell through when she remembered: She didn't have talent. She couldn't sing nor dance elegantly, paint or write poetry with bottomless meaning – fencing wasn't a gift, so that was out. She played a few instruments but knew nothing of writing music, maybe she could play him religious hymns to express her gratitude!

"Hey," Ilia snapped her out of the muddle of thoughts. She wiggled her eyebrows at the Princess and blushed mischievously. She leaned in and whispered, "I know Link was at the Hot Springs the night of the festival – I saw one of his packs behind the fence."

Zelda shook her head prudently, not wanting to hear the implication from a friend's mouth; it was so embarrassing! "I have no idea what you are talking about." She snapped, making sure to neither deny nor accept the accusation, face red and writing like chicken scratch.

Ilia giggled, "I'm only messing with you." She paused with an honest smile, emerald orbs warm and homey. Princess Zelda watched her closely as she whittled her figurine lovingly, glee radiating off her. "I think I love Elric, like truly without any doubt. He's really proved himself in this situation as not only a merchant, but an altruist...You once said that as women of our position we have to do things for the good of our people, and Nayru has blessed me with true love _and_ a means to keep my villagers fed and with jobs." She held her hand out but waited for permission before patting the Princess's arm. "I hope you find the same happiness with Link."

A twinge of shame pricked her chest at the memory of Alger's words.

Ilia stood up and stretched, her bare toes curling and arms popping as she reached for the stars. She grinned, "Thank you for letting me spend all this time with you Your Highness. There weren't women my age in Ordon, so it's nice to have a female friend to just talk to without having to repeat myself one hundred times."

"I enjoyed your visit as well." Zelda returned to her papers: Read. Sign. Flip. Skim. Throw away. She was making headway on the stack which appeared on her desk almost magically when she returned from the clinic, down to about an inch remaining. Her inkwell was running dry, and she made a note to request Elric to order another supply.

"I guess I'll leave you be. I'll be downstairs with the others if you need me." _Knock knock!_

"Come in," she greeted with a smile, happy to have so many people coming and going.

Link nervously entered with the wave of his hand, a content grin dimpling his cheeks. Ilia lightly punched his arm on her way out, and he in turn yanked a strand of her hair. They then playfully shoved one another and bid each other farewell – what a curious way to say goodbye to someone. Zelda offered him a seat and he gladly plopped down on the edge of her bed, legs crossed and arms in front of him. She continued with her papers, and he sat obediently behind her. With each occasional glance she stole of him, the image of a loyal dog became more and more vivid in her mind.

Maybe living the life of a beast caused certain mannerisms to stick. The way he glanced between the door and her, as well as his manner of scratching behind the back of his ear furiously when an unavoidable itch overcame him. It was subconscious, she could tell, and very fascinating.

She frowned, gripping the quill in her hand tightly in pent up frustration from words that weren't her own that night in the castle. Link sat oblivious and loving despite the evil recommendation for his death – it made her stomach sick. That voice once inspired her, but now it brought unease. To have the very notion violate her mind – what kind of demon possessed her to let it slip? Killing the man she loved; the mere sentence brought tears to her eyes.

"Uh!" Link gasped, grabbing Zelda's attention. She turned her head but stopped short when she noticed he was sitting in Ilia's old seat, leaning forward in unease, glancing between her and the paper beneath her hand. He thought the paperwork was making her cry, and wondered why she was still working on it.

She chuckled, wiping her lash line. "It is nothing," She patted his cheek, "I enjoy the work, do not be concerned."

He skimmed over the neverending wasteland of buzzwords and technical terms and scowled: How could she find reading this _enjoyable_?

She held the paper up and pointed to the first line. "You are unfamiliar with the language, is all. Governing documents must be kept very literal and – I say this in a good way – _bland_ , so not to cause confusion or varying interpretation. I was taught to read them at a young age, but it is not the articles or paragraphs I find amusing." Princess Zelda ran her pale finger down to the signature line at the bottom and beamed. "With my signature, _I_ get to make decisions for the better of my people...No more forging."

Link jumped to make sure no one was listening outside. With the Zora around, and the increasing distrust toward authority, it would be unwise to reveal such conspiracy. She continued, "It has been four years since I did this, and I missed it very much."

He still couldn't wrap his head around liking paperwork, but if it made her happy, he was content. She motioned him closer and began reading the words to him, explaining their meaning and variation – happy to share a piece of her world. Link read slowly and with difficulty when reciting aloud. The larger words confused his tongue like "proficuous" and "idiosyncratic", but she helped him all the way; even teaching him a few words in the ancient language.

He would blush each time he made a mistake, but she assured him he was no fool for not knowing how to read as quickly as she did. He was from a world of survival and simpler things. Alger's memory snuck up on her. If Prince Harod never came, would Link even want to enter the realm of dark corridors and document signings?

"Hey," He jumped up, grabbing her hands and pulling her to stand, "How about I teach you something too!" He left and returned with a variety of tools and piece of undyed leather. Princess Zelda mentally groaned; he had a hobby as well?!

He sat on the floor, legs crossed as he laid out a series of punches and knifes on one side, and a wooden mallet on the other. He motioned for her to sit in front of him while he took a moistened cloth and dampened the tan leather. He explained it was called casing, and that it caused the material to swell, thus making the stamping process easier. Zelda watched eagerly as he took a thin silver stamp and lightly tapped the tip with his mallet, leaving a very detailed impression behind. The design was basic and grainy, but as he alternated in a row (stamp, no stamp, stamp, no stamp), it made a motif like a woven basket.

Link paused, allowing her to run her fingers over the cool leather strip. It was in no specific shape, as it was probably just a scrap so he could show her the basics. She smiled. "How fascinating...Did you make Epona's saddle this way?"

He nodded. "Rusl taught me. You wanna try?"

"Oh no, I would ruin it." She wiped the sweat from her brow.

A short chuckle followed his body as he moved to sit beside her, handing off the tools in his palm. "You won't ruin it, I promise. It's a _unilateral contract_." He beamed proudly.

"That is not what that–" She thought against correcting him when he appeared embarrassed. "Alright, hand it over."

He happily did so, pointing to the next spot in the chain and visually instructing her on how to strike the stamp. Zelda placed the design on top of the leather and carefully raised up the mallet. She swung down and tapped it lightly – it left a weak impression, not even close to the crisp depth Link acquired. She frowned.

"You don't have to bludger it, but don't be afraid to put some force behind it." He assured, imploring her to try again.

She attempted once more to correctly imitate his actions only to accidentally hit her thumb. "Ouch!" She shouted, holding her hand in aggravation. Link frowned, rubbing the throbbing digit sympathetically.

"Please be careful," He tried not to laugh in her face, she could see the laugh lines forming around his eyes.

She pouted, "Your mallet is defective."

He laughed, scooting closer and placing his hands over hers, manipulating them like a puppeteer to hold the tools more sternly. His chest was on her back, mouth beside her ear as he instructed each move. Her limbs were limp as his voice rumbled against her in the frequency of a soothing lullaby, his breath tickling her cheek.

"Princess?" He inquired.

She didn't hear a word he said, she was too busy pressing her body as close to his as possible, not even minding the heat. He used her hands to hit the stamp and left behind a clean imprint, but she didn't care as much as he did.

The door was open, but they had no chaperone – he wasn't from her world, though. She bit her lip. "Link...How do you feel knowing we are without an escort?"

"We need an escort for this?" He wondered truthfully.

 _I could be a commoner for once_.

She turned her head to place a peck on his cheek so close to her own and he paused, eyes widening. It caught him off guard, the spot reddening as he swiveled to face her. She shied away from his stare, heart pounding in excitement, trying to appear occupied by pounding at the leather again. Link leaned in closer, maybe going in to return a kiss on the cheek, but her movements caused his lips to press against her jaw. Electricity shot through her body and she confronted him with her eyes, just staring in honest shock. He too seemed surprised, but not totally sorry for invading (unbeknownst _)_ forbidden territory.

Her silence unnerved him, so he kissed her lips gently. She felt a small buzz come on and groaned disappointedly when he pulled away. She brought her hands out to touch his cheeks, and turned her body to face him completely; Link pushed a long strand of hair that escaped her bun behind her ear. Princess Zelda fought temptation with self control, but it was a losing battle. She brought her hot mouth against his and rubbed the subtle flesh of his jaw and cheekbones – much softer than his calloused hands that gripped her upper arm in alarm.

Link kissed her back with equal passion, caressing her shoulders as he tried to take the lead, but she wanted none of that. She was too excited to give up her control over him, and pressed harder against him, inching closer and closer until she was on his lap – body in tingles she couldn't understand. His lips were just too soft and warm, and the way his breath hitched each time she moved – she needed to stop. She tried pulling away, but when his hand found its way to her thin waist, the idea seemed suicidal. A breathy sound escaped between kisses; she was too drunk to tell from who, but it fueled her want to be closer to the handsome knight falling apart at her fingertips.

A deep rumble in his chest awoke something primal within her. To see such control she had over his body – it was sinfully invigorating, addictive even. She deepened the kiss, wanting more of him around her. They groaned in pleasure, the room now cold from the amount of heat the two produced. Link was the one to pull her away this time, holding her by the shoulders at arm's length.

She gasped, fearful of what she did wrong, examining his face for displeasure. His forehead was covered in sweat and face flushed, eyes wide and chest panting heavy. He smiled awkwardly, brows furrowed and blue orbs lit with unconstrained emotion. It was raw and instinctual, and it took all his power not to act on something so feral – she could feel it manifest itself physically on him.

Princess Zelda scooted away, giving them both space; she cleaned herself up, touching her hair and pretending to fix it stiffly. Link looked away in embarrassment, complimenting her stamping attempts with jumbled words.

"It is natural you know," She tried to assure, but he wanted nothing to do with it. A nervous chuckle escaped from her lips which turned into a hearty laugh. He scowled, but eventually let loose and laughed alongside her. "You were my first kiss, did you know that?"

He perked up, "Really?"

She nodded, scooting back to lean against her bed. She twiddled her thumbs in silence, trying to her best to appear experienced and casual as she simmered down."I meant to ask, what did Ashei need you for?"

Link copied her, playing with her hand that rested peacefully on her lap. He informed, "A patrol group found a small fort, but turns out it was an old summer home overrun with the Blin clan. The home actually belonged to Lord Osmar's family once, and there's reason to believe an oracle is hiding out there."

"I see," Zelda rubbed her chin in interest, "That is an interesting development."

"Ashei wants to send a squadron to clear the Blin and reclaim the home...She wanted you to try and convince the oracle to surrender."

Her eyes hardened. "Oh? And what makes her think I can do that?" Maybe her tone was too harsh.

Link held his hands up in defense. "You have the most history with them, and I'm coming with you. You're not going to be with her alone."

The princess sighed tiredly. Why did she agree this was a good idea? "When do they head out?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Understood," she raised her arms up in the air and stretched.

Link just goggled at her, and she was beginning to think she would disappear under all this pressure. She stared back, maybe this was an Ordonian game and he was playing with her.

"Zelda," Her name sounded so clean when he said it, "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"Of course not."

The corners of his mouth raised gently, "Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?"

She nearly jumped up, face aghast at the very implication. "No, of course not!"

"It's okay if you are," he tried to appear happy, "I get it, the King said it plain and simple. I'm just some rancher kid."

Princess Zelda grabbed his hands and pulled them close to her face, shaking her head rapidly. "He has no idea what he is talking about!"

 _Enjoy this...tyst while you can Your Highness, but you and I both know it can not last._

She held his hands tighter, pressing his rough knuckles against her cheek. "Politics is a nasty place, I just did not want them to use you as leverage! I would never be embarrassed by you!"

Link sat up straighter to try and calm her franticness down, but she was wound up.

"I shall prove it to you!" She stood, but he tried to stop her.

"Princess you don't need to–"

She got away, running out her room to lean against the railing and announce, "Attention! People of Kakariko!"

He jumped to her side, trying to pull her back into the room as the whole inn stopped to stare at the budding entertainment. Link started to laugh when she refused to go back, letting her know she was making a fool of herself shouting like that. She laughed back genuinely, noticing how ridiculous they must have looked, but their audience was still waiting.

"Go on then!" Rusl shouted from the bar, Uli smacking his arm.

Link was able to wrestle her arms to her sides and turn the giggling woman to face him, eagerly closing the distance between them: they kissed before the curious eyes of the public. Some people raised their glasses and cheered, others made vomiting motions, and a small minority could care less. If she could capture this moment in a frame and hang it on her wall, it would be a priceless heirloom she would pass down for generations. It felt so homey and warm to have so many people cheer and share in her happiness, that the castle felt like nothing more than a doll house.

The two returned to her chambers, laughing and enjoying one another's company. Was an invasion really happening in this reality? Were people really dying in between each gasp for air? She couldn't be certain if the scar on her leg was real or imagined right now.

They stopped, and Link burned so bright she wanted to shield her eyes. He had magic much stronger than hers – an ability to bring life and light into the darkest of situations. Just as she was about ready to kiss him yet again, Ilia returned with Elric on her arm, leaning against the doorway. She waved at them both and wondered, "Hey lovebirds, we're going to the watch tower to look at the sunset. You guys wanna join?"

Princess Zelda blinked with an unrelenting grin, "Who else is we?"

"It's…" Ilia ceased her voice, expression falling as she skimmed the inside of her mind. Link frowned in concern, and Elric coughed loudly to distract the woman's loss of cognitive thought.

Eventually, he continued the subject. "Ashei and Shad are up there already, and we noticed you just lock yourself indoors almost every night, so they told us to invite you too." Elric smiled, but Ilia only frowned harder. She forgot who they were for a moment, didn't she?

"What do you think?" She asked Link who nodded contently.

Link gave her his arm and she eagerly followed after them as they exited the chamber and headed for the lobby. A few bar patrons and still-conscious mothers greeted her as she passed, Elric stopping to inform Telma where they were headed. The Inn doors swung open, almost smacking her across the face had she not stepped back. People hushed when Alger emerged with fanfare and obnoxious introductions for a man no one seemed interested in. Everyone expected Zelda bowed to King Daphnes out of custom or fear rather than respect.

The pigeon-looking courtier pierced her with his glare, interpreting Link's presence as a disregard to his warning. She didn't care how he felt, she'd be selfish for once – he had no right to judge. But when she saw the way King Daphnes looked at her…

It was a myriad of varying emotions she couldn't pinpoint, all cooked together until burnt and inedible. The thought of Alger's claim of the King's own struggles – she pitied the man like she had when he was locked up in nothing but rags. But pity was a worse sentence than death, and she was eager to gift it on a silver platter. Hylia frowned upon a spiteful heart, but it felt necessary to punish him for his wrongdoing against her. The Gods would learn to forgive her faster than she could forgive him.

"Princess Zelda."

"King Daphnes."

He peeked at her party and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms to appear large and menacing. The children's room door opened, heightening tension; and when Naru poked her head out with a large grin, Zelda held out her hand to her in a silent bid to stay put. She felt like a beast defending her young from a predator in their territory. Naru froze, and Zelda asked, "May I get through?"

"Where is it that you are going?" The King questioned.

"Out." Her brow raised.

"Curfew is in a couple of hours."

"Then I shall be back in a couple of hours." She was quick to respond just as the look in his eyes sizzled into a form of weakness. Now he wanted to play the role of doting paternal figure? Not in this lifetime. "If you will excuse me–"

"You did not ask to be able to leave." He kept his ground, the others paced behind her uncomfortably.

"I am an adult, King Daphnes, and Sutter is enjoying his evening, now if you will excuse me–" She went to push past him, but he put his hand over the handle. "Gods! Will you ever leave me alone!"

His brows furrowed, "Will you learn to respect authority!"

She scoffed, "How dare you utter such a false statement! I have done nothing but spend my life acting like your little doll – well I am through!"

"Maybe I wouldn't have to keep such a tight leash if you weren't so reckless and impulsive!" He shouted.

"Do not act like you were doing me a favor King Daphnes, locking me away and treating me like a rabid dog!" She pointed a hard finger in his direction. "I will not play these mind games with you dammit, so as head of Council Nohansen – a position re-appointed by _you_ because of how incapable you are of leading anything that is not a party – I command you to move!"

The veins in his neck and red face looked ready to burst, but she held her ground; heart pumping hot blood and frustrated energy. The King straightened his back and scowled, sharply turning to face the door. With a loud growl, he pulled a folded chessboard and pieces from his jacket and threw it at the wall, fragments flying everywhere as the inhabitants shielded themselves from the runaway pawns. Princess Zelda looked at the discarded game in shock, the black king rolling to the edge of her skirt. Looking up, she saw the King stare at her from over his shoulder before exiting the Inn, Alger chasing after.

This was it, this was her checkmate – but then why did she feel so sick? Link was the first to touch her, holding her shoulders as she looked at the game pieces. They were the same ones they used when she was a child...were they one of the items he salvaged from the castle? She just felt so angered by his words that should couldn't hear what Ilia was saying to her.

Zelda sighed, "I apologise, I am not feeling well after all."

Pushing past them, she returned to her room and locked the door, too sour to enjoy viewing the sunset. She went to sit on her bed and reached into the drawer at her bedside. Inside was the bottle of spirits she had found in the castle, nothing like rumbullion. It was softer, but did the trick. Taking a swig she hid it away and laid on her bed, letting the fluffy haze numb her senses. Link was knocking on her door the whole time, begging to speak to her – and, although she knew she should trust him with opening herself up, it felt too dangerous. She just wanted to forget this sickness that sprouted in the pit of her stomach at the sight of that game.

She thought she hated chess.

At some point she unlocked the door for Link and pretended to drift off to sleep. He stayed by her side, petting her hair rhythmically. He didn't leave her side the whole night.

…

Eyes were beginning to bother Princess Zelda more than usual. Generally they're described as windows to the soul, a gateway into someone's true intentions and thoughts; but if that was the case, she was in danger. Certain guards watched her like a warden did his prisoner, like they were making sure she stayed in line and didn't cause a ruckus. On the other hand: the villagers, her people, took dull glances at her, like children waiting for their dead dog to jump up and play again. Distrust colored their irises and scrutiny focused their pupils. What was going on?

She began noticing it in the morning after Alger brought a butchered morning report muddied with her father's intrusive handwriting. If he didn't want her to work today, that was fine by her, she knew he couldn't last a minute – but the way people glared at her when the courtier left and she exited her room, it was icy. Doctor Borville said they were distrusting, but now – they reminded her of the castle crowd with their disdain.

In the afternoon, she began teaching both Naru and Fuana the skill of magic with varying levels of success. Naru was doing fine, but Fuana was too literal of a person to properly grasp the idea of linking with an unseeable force. It was difficult for her, but eventually Link was able to help, loosening up her nerves by letting her play with his gale boomerang. The way the weapon controlled the winds fascinated her, and she enjoyed borrowing its power as she threw it around – that was until she realized she would have to catch it, then she spent her time running away from the sacred object. Naru and Link laughed uncontrollably, and she scolded them for that, but as Fuana ran past the springs, Zelda caught another pair of cautious eyes. The Zoras even held a glimmer of distrust in their pearlescent orbs.

"Did you get all that?" Ashei wondered, rolling up her maps.

Princess Zelda blinked roughly, returning herself mentally to the present time. She was in the Sanctuary dressed in her Sheikah garbs, the Council around her. Candles were lit as nightfall approached, and the chosen soldiers waited for their orders.

Regis grumbled under his breath. "Of course you Hylians have time to waste when it comes to your territory, but what do you do when an ally requests assistance?"

"Regis, please," King Ralis frowned, "The little Goddess said that the time was not right, and we must respect the will of the Gods."

The Zoras continued to bicker around the same time King Daphnes entered and plopped into his seat. He looked tired and just recently sobered, a good flush still on his face. Alger ran over to his side and began to speak in hushed whispers to the King. The clanking of metal armor pulled her attention away as someone was being suited. She tilted her head in the direction of Viscount Osmar and asked, "Why is a civilian coming with us?"

He began tightening the strap of his leather rerebrace with a dignified frown.

"With all due respect Your Majesty," He bowed, "I once served the Royal Army as part of the draft many years ago, and since it is my family's summer home, I thought my key would be much appreciated."

She nodded. "I only asked a question." She hadn't meant for him to take such offense to her inquiry.

The squad was very small, and from Lord Osmar's description, the lot wasn't very large. It was located on the outskirts of the Eldin Territory, and was only about two hundred acres of land. Ashei, Rusl, Sutter, and a few men and boys joined them, as well as Auru who acted as a war scribe to describe the battle from a safe distance. At twilight they headed for the target, and by the time the moon began climbing up the stairs, they were at the outside gate. Link, Zelda, and Lord Osmar were the last to arrive – per Ashei's request. From what Zelda half-heard, the warrior woman wished for the princess to have clean access to the oracle and commanded she and the soldiers would enter the grounds first.

So by the time they got there, the wooden gates were wide open, and the once-marble trail lined with well-cut shrubs was mantled with ash and discarded weaponry. Lord Osmar's face fell at seeing his property in such disarray, a tall red building boarded up and modified in the distance.

"Are you okay?" Link asked him, empathetic to the feeling.

The Lord opened his mouth but didn't have words to speak. His blonde locks appeared gray, and rosy skin held more pronounced wrinkles. He knelt down and placed a hand on the ground, picking up a rock and holding it. A breeze howled through the greenery and brought with it a tattered flag that once held his family crest. "They destroyed it." Was all he said in shock.

Link placed his hand on his shoulder but said nothing, only looking him in the eyes and assuring all would be okay. Zelda thought back to when the invasion first occurred, the way his tree-trunk home burned so furiously before his eyes, but he did not flinch. He helped Lord Osmar up, coaching him briefly to build a basic level of detachment toward the plot of land. The Viscount sighed, "I apologise, this has been in my family for many generations and… Nevermind, we should get going."

"We understand your grief." The Princess assured.

He looked tired. "I was just hoping my son would be here."

Her lips pressed into a clamped line as she purposely avoided giving any kind of statement regarding the young lord. She tightened the white bindings around her head and mouth to fill in the silence. Link grunted for them to head toward the red Villa, leading the other two in high alert. The deeper they ventured into the lot, the more disheveled it became: turned over carriages, shredded tents, and splatters of ink across the wall (or what she told herself was ink).

It was upsetting Lord Osmar, and that was exactly why she thought it was a bad idea to have him come along. She heard him grip his sword angrily. "Relax Viscount." She commanded.

When they reached the Villa, Rusl was waiting outside, a few soldiers scanning the perimeter. He approached her party with an exhausted frown. "We were right, there's an oracle hiding inside."

"Do you have people in the garden?" Lord Osmar wondered loudly, "There's a secret exit through the servants' quarters in the back."

Rusl nodded, "It's all blocked off and Ashei is with them. The only way in or out is the front

door."

"Gods I shall tear that witch to shreds!" Viscount Osmar exclaimed, pushing back the group to run up the stairs to the door of his Villa. Zelda and Link chased after the foolish noble just as he began using his key to open the door.

"Viscount Osmar, stop!" Princess Zelda shouted out to him angrily, but he ignored her pleas and bolted into the room.

"Show yourself you coward!" He cried out from inside. When they reached the entry way , he was opening doors and looking behind furniture. The room was a mess; whether from the previous inhabitants or his rummaging, was inconclusive. Papers and broken glass were flung across the floor and portraits stained with tossed food. It was a pigsty, Blin tools and objects thrown amongst the luxurious artifacts of the Osmar family.

"Lord Osmar," Zelda tried to call his attention but he continued ignoring her, so she shouted louder, "Lord Osmar!"

His train of thought crashed, and he was finally able to hear her. His brows furrowed with conviction. She approached him dourly, asserting herself as a leader. "You are too emotionally attached, it was a mistake bringing you here. Excuse yourself from this and wait for us outside."

His sapphire orbs widened with distress, but he didn't have the gall to fight her. He looked away, hands dropping to his sides in defeat – but just as he was about to leave, a loud thump came from upstairs. Link pulled Zelda to his side, and the Viscount jolted toward the stairs with his blade unsheathed.

Zelda cursed under her breath, more thumps and bangs coming from the room above their heads. There was a loud female scream with more bangs of struggle following. Lord Osmar descended from the stairs with a cloaked figure in his fist, kicking and screaming as he shoved them to the floor.

"Get Ashei." Zelda commanded Link as the oracle tried to push herself back up. She shut the door behind him, and both Lord Osmar and the Princess stood above the frightened woman.

"You bastard!" The oracle hissed, removing her hood and cradling a sprained wrist with tears in her crow's feet. She looked so meek and harmless without her two sisters, dark hair rayed with gray and eyes begging for mercy. Princess Zelda knelt down to her height but kept a reasonable distance.

"You ruined my home, you traitorous witch!" He jutted his blade out to her, causing the oracle to cower in fear, a loud cry ripping from her throat.

"I am no traitor!" She shouted back before turning to face the princess, "Oh Your Highness!" She crawled over and placed her forehead on the wooden floor to grovel. "You must believe me Princess, we are not traitors!"

"You tricked my people into coming with you and had them killed," The Princess stayed level, "My allies would do no such thing."

The oracle shook her head violently. "We had to! That shadow, he offered to spare us if we worked for his agenda. My sisters and I planned to return to the royal family as undercover informants!"

"Liar!" Lord Osmar shouted.

The oracle slashed at him with her long nails. "I do not speak to you, snake!" She turned back to the princess and clasped her hands together, begging and pleading as her life depended on it. "Precious rose of Hyrule, please have mercy on foolish old women! We surrender, we truly do!"

Zelda closed her eyes and shook her head. "You shall come with us to Kakariko. There you shall be tried for your war crimes."

The oracle lit up and grabbed the Princess's hands, kissing and hugging them as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Oh bless you, merciful Princess Zelda, rose of Hyrule, precious granddaughter of a compassionate Queen! Stay clear of snakes, precious little Princess, so tolerant and pure –"

Blood splattered across Zelda's face in a horrific mist as the oracle dropped dead into her arms, neck burst open and blood gurgling in her mouth.

"Bastard!" Link shouted as he burst into the room, grabbing Lord Osmar by the lapel of his shirt and taking the stained sword from his grasp. "You could have hit the Princess!"

The Hylian man shoved back, eyes widened as the possibility sunk in, "G-Get your hands off me!"

Zelda sat open-mouthed and horrified as the hot liquid drenched her clothes and entered the pores of her skin. She shoved the body away from her and panicked, trying to wipe it off her face and arms, but it was all over!

"Treason is punishable by death!" Lord Osmar's voice was drowned out by her harsh breaths, "I-I had to do it!"

Zelda started screaming, there was so much blood! "We were going to give her a trial!" The princess cried, "A fair trial and you _killed_ her!"

"With which court princess? With what judge?!" Lord Osmar shoved Link off him, "Everyone is dead, all witnesses and members of law, so who would try her? Things have changed princess, the only justice here is death, and if you think we should just pretend nothing has changed, you're a fool!"

"You are wrong!" Was all Zelda could say over and over again, feeling sticky and disgusting as the blood dried on her skin. Link tried to help her up but she refused his touch, because those _eyes_! The lifeless eyes of the oracle bore into her soul and pitted blame, another soul swimming in her personal river Styx. She couldn't breathe, the air was becoming thin, her limbs numb – maybe if she hit her head hard enough, she would lose consciousness.

"By the Gods, is this the condition they spoke of," Lord Osmar cringed, "You are the one too emotionally attached, Princess." Why did he wish to kick while she already down!

"Shut up!" Link growled.

She wished death upon the oracles before while thinking in hyperbole, and this was the Gods' punishment for such dark thinking. She didn't really want them to die, she wanted no one to die if they had a chance. Zelda continued to cry and grab at her hair and clothes, undoing the white wrap around her face to clean herself from the essence on her. At one point Ashei had ran in, and attempted to wake her from the nightmare state.

"Princess look at me," She grabbed her arms, "It's me, your friend."

Zelda scratched at the burning vein in her neck but Ashei stopped her.

"Princess, where are you right now?"

The princess tried to speak but words wouldn't leave.

"Answer." Ashei snapped her fingers.

"T-The Osmar Villa." She croaked.

"Good. Who am I?"

"Ashei."

"And who is touching you right now?"

Princess Zelda looked at Link who was holding her other hand in his own. "You and Link."

Ashei pulled out a small bag and held it to Zelda's nose. "What do you smell?"

"Lavender." Her breathing relaxed.

"And what do you see? Describe three things"

Her eyes wandered to the body on the floor but Ashei pulled her chin to keep staring forward. "A bookshelf. Blue curtains. A-And a silver chandelier."

Ashei attempted to stand, bringing the Princess up with her. "Good job, Your Highness. Now keep your eyes on me, we are going to leave this room, okay. But I want you to keep describing what you see and feel."

The Princess nodded, the pins and needles disappearing slowly. "A brown door. Rusl and four soldiers. Many green shrubs. A cold breeze."

They stood outside of the villa, the princess very tired and fatigued. Ashei released her and explained, "One of our men has an injury, so we'll be staying here for the night. We have a tent set up for you, so why don't you go clean up and rest now."

The Princess saw the Hylian family crest being raised on a flagpole. "Ashei," she swallowed, but the words couldn't seem to form.

"It's called grounding," She informed, "And it's what friends do."

…

Link sat her down on the cot and dampened a nearby rag, washing her hands and face gently. He wanted her to talk to him, kissing her fingertips like a concerned pet, begging her to say something. She removed her accessories so they could be washed, and returned to her gown, all without uttering a peep, the shock still settling. If she ignored it, then the ghosts would do the same, and Ashei wouldn't need to be bothered.

Zelda took the rag from his hand to clean her face before pushing the heels of her palms into her eyes. A few minutes ago, she was alive – when she bickered with the oracles, she was alive; a precious life...wasted. They were an important part of her castle life, but now an oracle lay on a bloodied floor as a useless heap of flesh and bone. Link pulled her hands away from her sockets and rubbed the skin with his thumb, face pulled together anxiously.

 _Trust,_ she reminded herself. The Princess leaned against him as he sat beside her. "Is mercy...bad?"

Link tilted his head.

"I forgive because grandmother said a divine heart is a forgiving one, but I am continuously betrayed by those I pardon. I hated the oracles for a great many things, yet I was so willing to give her a chance that led to her death and now...I am wounded with grief."

He began to pet her hair slowly. "You think too much."

"Maybe you are right."

"It's not bad to...mourn for an enemy," his lips curled as he tried to conjure better words, "It shows compassion...You should get some rest."

He stood up to leave but she grabbed his arm, begging him to stay with her stormy eyes. "I do not sleep well," She didn't look away, she didn't want to be alone right now. He nodded in understanding, pulling up a bedside stool as he convinced her to lay comfortably in the cot. Link implored her to lead the conversation with the blank expression on his glowing face. This was a first, being asked to rambled on about anything – and in a way, it was intimidating. He must've expected her to go on a rant the same way Ilia did with ease.

Eventually, she was able to find a topic she felt comfortable talking about and smiled. She told him how beautiful Naru would become when she grew into a woman, and how she thought the Ordonian girl has a crush on Colin. Link was against the idea for brotherly reasons, assured in the fact that Beth and Colin were becoming childhood sweethearts, and that Naru was far too young to like boys. They both would laugh when retelling the silly antics of their children; the way Fuana was showing an attraction to heroism through her work around the village – did she just refer to them as "their children?"

Link described the flowers Fuana would dress Epona in, while Zelda pondered the prospect of a family. She did love those girls dearly, in ways she couldn't imagine. She traced the curve of Link's lips with her eyes and sighed, never would this be a tryst or moment – she wanted this serenity forever. His hair shined against the lantern glow, and when she spoke, his eyes would twinkle like starlight. They laughed and talked for what felt like forever, but she could see Father Sleep sprinkle sand into the knight's eyes. He was working hard to stay awake, shuffling and moving in his seat. It was unfair of her to keep him awake far past his comfortable limits, so she turned over with a yawn, and feigned sleep. He stayed for a moment longer, waiting to make sure she was slumbering before leaving.

A light pawing on her tent pulled her attention, but she didn't turn. Zelda heard Link stand from his chair and walk to what she assumed to be the closed flaps. There was a shush followed by familiar whispers.

"Please, I wish to apologize to her." The voice of Lord Osmar made her want to scream.

Link must have made some face that upset him.

"Why not–! Fine, but give her this at least."

The tent flaps smacked closed, and Link returned to his seat, eventually falling asleep with his arms crossed. She turned to face him – he didn't accept the Lord's offering – and waited for her body to become so fatigued it would shut down, that way it would be too tired to dream, the smell of blood still strong in her nostrils. Link looked so peaceful when he slept.

…

 _There's a darkness that is felt everywhere. In this unknown, the feeling of heaviness is imminent, choking and paralyzing. A pair of large eyes made of flames stare down at her, unblinking and unforgiving, just watching as she stands still in the nothingness. Its terrifying blaze begins to bleed from the floor and lick at her heels. The fire grows larger and larger until it's a field of inferno, and standing in its destruction is a decomposing creature rising from the sea – voice not his own and veins of darkness on its body. The possessed monster looks at her, grinning; in its chest lay evil's bane impaled within him, and from the wound oozes a shadow, her reflection. He laughs madly, but above him glows a bright and holy light. Both him and his shadow continue to stare at her as she covers her eyes. Three orbs fall from up above and separate, two hitting her as they rush by – blue and green fill her vision, and three statuettes erect themselves from shadow. One is grimy and worn, the other two are pristine. Looking down, there is a body at her feet, an elderly woman whose head has nearly fallen off her shoulders points her finger. You promised a chance...You did this...There's a twinge of pain, and looking up, blood covers her abdomen whilst a man stands in front of her, crying out her name. She loves him, but her blood drips from his blade. And as they hit the floor, they form the triforce upside down, a sacrilegious act of death and abandonment of light_

 _..._

Princess Zelda jolted awake with a fright, covering her orbs and shaking from the dream. She kept her eyes closed but ran her hands over the sheets on the cot, the coolness soothing on her heated skin. It felt like silk, and she was surprised, opening her eyes to see familiar wine sheets. Wait – she knew this fabric before, it was from –

"Good morning, Precious," Dark greeted maliciously from his bedside seat within her chambers.

* * *

 **Should I be hididng now?**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **RAF-Fire, killing. demon. 666, Paulnatalie, Pretty Blossom, Kersplunk, Arietta Serenade, Ripple, AlexariaSeain, Ultimate blazer, and Sonia**

 **I was so happy to hear that you all enjoyed last months chapter! To hear that you guys like Fuana and Naru just as much as I do makes me feel secure in my decision to characterize them the way I did. AlixariaSeain I hope those butterflies don't bother you too much doll! And thank you Arietta for your beautifully in depth review - thank you _everyone_ for your reviews! **

**Now onto a fun question you could answer ( If you'd like) *puts on teacher glasses***

 **Upon reading the reviews of Ripple, Arietta Serenade, Kersplunk, and just discussing this chapter with my editor, it seems that majority feels an appropriate level of disdain towards a certain King. Do you think he is a redeemable character? Why or why not? Does anyone here think he's portrayed a lot more negatively due to bias from our heroine since it's written in Third Person Limited, and could actually be an okay guy? I'm curious to know it all!**

 **My editor who really needs some hot tea and a good book after working so hard: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Well my lovelies there we have it, I hope the shock didn't hurt you too much, but the show is far from over!**

 **Please R &R and let me know how I'm doing! Don't forget to wear sunscreen if you're outdoors and never stare at the sun - See ya next month!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Welcome back lovelies! Hope you're having a happy summer!**

* * *

 _This is a nightmare_ , Zelda told herself, throwing the sheets off as Dark began inching towards her. _I am going to wake up soon!_

"The Goddesses couldn't hide you forever." He smirked vilely.

She began to panic, scooting back until he pounced on top of her. She screamed and thrashed about, sinking into her pillows. She went to punch him, but his smoky form wrapped around her arms and solidified into iron grips. "You won't be catching me off guard this time," he chuckled, sitting on top of her as he dug his nails into her skin. She shouted out, and he shivered.

"You got lucky last time you were here," Dark purred, "That won't be happening again."

"Let me go!" She growled out in frustration, trying to throw him off. He ignored her insults and leaned in, nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck. She paused, frozen in apprehension of what came next.

He grumbled, "Naughty girl, making him so libidinous." His mouth moved up to her ear as his icy breath burned, "Like a bitch in heat." Without warning, he bit down into her shoulder until blood bubbled up like a well. Zelda screamed, shaking her body so he would release her, but only making matters worse as his teeth tore into her flesh. He pulled away with madness in his soulless eyes, red bright against a white mouth as he grabbed her face and kissed her.

It was a perverted kiss, devoid of any and all emotion; where he plunged his lascivious tongue into her mouth crudely, choking her. She tried to pull away, but he kept grabbing and touching her in ways and places that made her feel dirty. He released her and she jumped out of the bed, wiping her own blood off pale rose lips. Dark kept prowling towards her and she was backing away, practically being chased around the room.

"What," He opened his arms out to her, changing his form to better match the color pallete of her hero, "Isn't this what you wanted? Him to be completely aroused by you, just as he had with your beautiful friend Midna?"

"Stop it!" Princess Zelda grabbed her ears, not wanting to hear the lies, throwing a chair down to block his path.

He smirked with Link's mask, the eyes still not particularly right. "Did you think this was his first rodeo Princess? His first conquest? You're just a replacement for what he can't have, we've been over this a thousand times."

She shook her head with conviction, "You speak only lies! What have you done to me, why am I here?!"

His amused smile dropped, but he remained in his false skin, rolling his eyes at her. "My master has big plans for you."

"Ganondorf is dead."

He laughed, "That fool couldn't be a master of his own two feet if he tried." She pressed her back against the door and reached for the brass knob. Dark noticed with another daunting cackle. "You are a sneaky little rat, I'll give you that. But this time, I won't be so liberal with my attention. You can roam as much as you please Princess, but trust me when I say you won't find much."

 _That is what you think now,_ she told herself, slowly beginning to build the damsel-in-distress facade. She forced herself to hyperventilate, and crumbled onto the floor dramatically, hoping he would leave her alone with this act of submission.

He began walking over to her, believing her charade with a disappointed frown. He knelt down to her height and grabbed her chin harshly, just studying her features in boredom. A miniscule snarl jumped his mouth and he spat, " _She_ would never give up this easily," and slapped her hard across the face. It stung dreadfully, but she took it, and her resilience was awarded with solitude.

Her chamber felt more like a doll's room, something that mimicked a place of life and movement, devoid of true feeling and character. It was a child's play thing, and she was the toy – or better yet, she was the rodent and this was her cage. She ran to the window and pressed her face against it, looking out onto a sleeping Hyrule, banging on the glass and shouting. Her heart felt ready to burst in knowing that Link would wake up and she would be missing – the pain it would cause him choked her.

 _Stop being such a weakling_.

Not that voice again. Anything but that deceiving voice! Zelda turned, trying to summon her Sheikah garb, but her abdomen burned in overexertion. She was too tired to use any magic right now.

"Leave me alone." Zelda warned with no response. She ran to her door and rushed out into the stairwell, looking up at the window – or at least, where the window used to be. Dark must have removed it after learning of her previous escape, and she was naive to think he would do otherwise. She descended down into the destroyed hall now devoid of stupid Bokoblin, and opened the tall curtains to reveal wooden boards and metal bars. Running, she checked each room and corridor, learning her environment like a rat searching for its decadent slice of cheese.

The Princess frowned, making her way to the foyer desperately. Watered-down grey light pooled in from foggy windows, and illuminated the silver of armored statues. She took the spear from their inanimate hands and stabbed the glass with all her might. It cracked, but a brown oil dripped from the wounds and sealed it up again.

"He is good." She wiped the sweat off her brow.

 _You give up too easily._

"Shut it!" The Princess growled, seeing her ghost walk in front of her before turning down the stairs. Zelda whipped around quickly, but the apparition was now a question of light tricks. Her eyes landed on the covered object still laying dormant in the center of the room. She remembered it from her last unfortunate visit.

The sound of bells pulled all curiosity from her, as their tings reminded her of a death call. It was loud and obnoxious, but when she tried to turn away and leave, it only got louder. She covered her ears, but the sound was even more clamorous, almost beckoning her to follow. Eventually, she found herself doing just that, anything to make the noise stop! It was back up the stairs she hurried: once back inside her chamber, silence followed.

She looked at her hands and rubbed her head, unbelieving of what kind of magic this was. There were two types of spells forbidden throughout the land of Hyrule: those of immediate death, and those which manipulated one's free will. Magics of command and intrusion were too controversial of a skill, and cruel – and here she felt the effects of such kinds.

"What have you done to me?" She asked, sitting on her bed with wide eyes.

The doors opened and Dark appeared smugly to answer her questions, a tray in his hand. His devilish features frightened her, and he knew it. The doppelganger set the tray down and kicked it in her direction, like a trainer would his beast. Its contents were slimy like sewage, or mushy like lint from an unclean belly button. She curled her nose up at it in disgust.

"Food time little rat." He sang, a silver bell appearing in his hand.

"You are a monster." She squinted at the instrument.

He shrugged, "How else is a dog supposed to know their dinner is ready? You ring a bell."

Zelda looked at the food and laughed, "You are a fool if you think I will eat that filth." She kicked it back to him with her boot. He was a lot more indifferent than she expected, and that was disappointing. He glanced at the tray and then back at her with pure hatred in his eyes. "Fine." He shrugged, and turned away. She heard the door lock behind him, and she was alone with rotten food and her thoughts.

The Princess curled up on her bed and tried to devise a plan, but the cold castle air bothered her, just as her stomach released a hungry growl. She looked at the pig slop and grimaced, refusing to give in to her humiliating treatment. Ganondorf would have made sure she was fed, and this hunger strike would have meant something more, but Dark – He seemed prepared for her unwillingness.

 _He is not afraid to just let you die._

…

After the first day of her incarceration, Zelda was no longer allowed to leave her chamber. Day 2 consisted of her aimlessly pacing the room between useless investigation patrols around her bed. All the windows were shatterproof, her fireplace gated, and all tools/writing utensils were missing. He wanted her bored and begging.

At nightfall, the ear-splitting bell sang her siren's call, and Zelda sat patiently on the bed. Dark came in and replaced the untouched food tray with a new one. Her stomach rumbled, but she refused. He turned to leave, locking the door behind him.

...

Day 3, her tummy howled with the banshees inside her head. Her dream was bittersweet; a scene of Link and the girls laughing and calling her name, their eyes full of life and color – yet she woke alone in grayscale. Dark gave her this dream, he wanted her to wake up defeated and lonesome. Her body ached as she hugged her tear-filled pillow, pining over recollections that played without her permission.

Dark returned with his tray just as numbness sadiated her. She looked at the food and yearned to eat something; but she had to be stronger. He called her mean names until he became uninterested.

...

By Day 4, it felt like her muscles were beginning to atrophy, and she was far too fatigued to get out of bed. The Princess's murky eyeballs were heavy from crying – the ghosts found her den. She was so hungry she wanted to vomit, and without sunlight, she was emotionally withering.

She learned that her solitary confinement was the result of her unyielding hunger strike. When he came in, she was ready to give in, her body unable to fast any longer. Zelda stared at the slop with salivating gums and waited for utensils. Dark made oinking sounds, and she was flabbergasted. Her ego pulled her back, but stomach whispered how stupid etiquette was. Using her hands she felt humiliated, but she was so hungry!

He waited, almost tapping his foot in impatience, burning her head with his glare. She knelt before the tray, swallowing her pride, and began shoveling the food with her palms into a starving mouth. The consistency sent a shiver down her spine, but for the most part, hunger raised her disgust tolerance. It just felt so good to have a full belly, even if she was being degraded. The Princess had to stop herself from licking the tray. She was sated, and Dark was smug. He left without a word, but a lock did not click behind him this time.

...

Day 5 may have been the worst – it was the day she realized just how long she's been imprisoned. Without sunlight, the waking hours seemed to last eons, but at least she had more to do.

The last thing Zelda wanted was to become comfortable with her situation; adapting wasn't an option. Yet, the moment she awoke from her slumber, she was quick to run for the castle library. It was silly, but after four days of doing nothing, she yearned for any kind of mental stimulation: keeping herself distracted was better than seeing phantoms.

She was trying to read the accounts of an old scholar, as he attempted the pilgrimage to each Spring whilst questioning why the Gods wouldn't just give Hylia her gifts in the first place – but it was proving terse and uninviting. It probably wasn't the author's fault she couldn't immerse herself, it would be hard for any wordsmith to pull her away from the filthy library covered in cobwebs and shredded papers. Zelda sighed, setting the book down sadly. The room that once held great esteem with its towers of tomes and knowledge, now reduced to what? The poster child of neglect and disrespect?

"Get up," she told herself, "You cannot just sit here!"

She pulled herself up from her seat and bit her knuckle, a shadow on the wall slipping away through the door. It heard her, and was planning to tattle, she was sure of it. Ever since this morning, she noticed strange shades appearing where no natural light shone – they were watching her every move.

 _Pet,_ the voice in her head mocked.

"Shut up." She must have really looked mad now. The princess didn't plan for her captor to confront or punish her: if she kept moving, he would follow her via shadow, and she would pretend not to notice.

She walked out to the hall and began heading in no real direction, eventually leading to the Hall of Queens. Each portrait was defiled and vandalized beyond repair. When she first saw it, it made her cry, but now she was growing more and more desensitized to it. She needed to find a way out of here.

 _I know how._

"Silence."

 _There is an armored statue in the foyer. He has a sharp spear. It would be quick._

Zelda covered her ears with her hands and flung herself against the wall. If she focused on the pain in her arm, the empty shiver that flipped her intestines would go away – the abyss would stop calling her name!

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" She shook. Naru, Fuana, and Link crossed her mind – she needed to see them again. This was not her, it couldn't be. It was a demon or curse meant to break her will; she needed to be exorcised of it! Princess Zelda headed for the castle church slowly, trying to hold herself together. When she finally reached it; however, her blood went cold.

Howling cries came from within, not of pain, but of uncontainable grief and sorrow. "Deirdre!" was the name mourned so religious, chanting and screaming. The princess knew those voices, and peering in she saw the two oracles writhing on the floor. Zelda covered her mouth, mortified by what she witnessed. She could still feel the blood on her skin, hopefulness snatched away with the cut of a blade. Her name was Deirdre...Just hearing that made her sick with guilt.

"Damn you Princess Zelda!" They cursed, sobs mumbling them.

The Princess shivered, her heart aching.

"What's this?" A voice behind her purred.

She glanced back at Dark with a gasp as he grabbed her arms and shoved her into the room with a malicious grin. She fell to the floor, picking herself up quickly before they noticed – but they had. Their faces twisted from depressed to outright vengeful, eyes jumping out of their skulls and skin reddening in rage. They stomped over to her, hollering and shouting like barking dogs. Princess Zelda tried to tell them it wasn't her fault, but they grabbed her hair and dress and began smacking her with their small fists. It didn't hurt physically, but emotionally they tore her to shreds.

"You're a monster!" One of them cried, slobbering over herself, "You speak of justice and honor, yet you murdered her!"

"No I–"

"You pledge to stop darkness," The other attempted to pull the brown strands off of the princess's head, "But your heart is just as dark as that shadow!"

That struck Zelda like a punch in the gut, leaving her breathless and overwhelmed. They kept chanting murderer, and calling her 'demon' – it was too much! She held her hand out and pushed them away with an unseen force, creating her escape. She ran as fast as she could, but they chased after her. The thump of her footsteps louder like the drums of war. Her youthfulness was a blessing, as she was able to reach her room and slam the door before they could catch up. Zelda slid down the door and brought her knees to her chest – the tears making her face stiff like a painted wall.

"Knock knock," Dark hummed from the other side of the door. She moved to her bedside and hung her head low, not wanting him to see the stains on her skin. He strolled in applauding, "What a show, Princess!" His laughter bullied her morale.

"Leave me alone," She whispered, closing her eyes tightly when she felt the thump of his hands and knees hitting the floor. He could have either hit or belittled her, yet he decided to do something far worse.

He grabbed her chin tenderly and purred, "Look at me."

She did so, not because he commanded her of it, but because she was surprised by how softly he spoke. The doppelganger's face was close to her own, donning the hollow mask of her lover – the very sight made a sob slip out of her throat. She began shaking her head at him, knowing he was doing it to bring her guard down, he was aware how lonely and pineful she felt and wanted to manipulate that vulnerability. Beat her, scream at her, anything but use his precious face!

"Hush darling," A malign smirk curled his lips as he reached up to run his stolen hands through her hair and upon her shoulders.

"No," she muttered, even though her body yearned for the soothing heat of a warm embrace. Dark hugged her – or rather, went through the motions with a boas grip on her weak figure. His skin was cold, and chest devoid of the rhythmic beating of a heart. She tried squirming away, but with each movement, the embrace grew tighter, his shoulder pressing against her throat in an obscured choke. All energy seemed to drain from her body as her muscles were tricked into relaxing. Her eyes felt heavy as he mumbled something against her ear, until she was too tired to stay awake.

...

Day 6...7? Or was it Day 8? Gods, her head felt groggy. The stone walls of her chambers sucked the life from her, as if it was part of an organic being – a vampire castle. Time didn't seem to follow a natural flow as she lay bedridden. Dark, that accursed incubus abused her moment of weakness...and hexed her to lay immobile. It was wearing...she just needed...to stay…

Awake!

Zelda jolted up from her bed, thirsty and disoriented yet brimming with vigor. She panted, placing a hand on her chest – lucidity returning with each rise and fall. Dark put her to sleep, he placed some spell or drug within her system so she wouldn't try and run. A shadow overheard her vow of escape, and this was the last of her punishment. Her gut twisted with a burning vendetta – he used _his_ face.

 _But who's he?_

She rolled her eyes at the treacherous voice in her head. "Him! The Hero–," She paused. It was on the tip of her tongue, and that frightened her. She jumped out of bed and grasped the bedpost, touching her forehead in concentration. Panic distracted her, how could she forget his name?! She closed her eyes to envision him, but all she saw was Dark and his conceited smile.

 _I remember,_ her ghost stood by the window, _I could tell you. At a price, of course._

"Louis?" The princess frantically muttered various names, "Lionel, Lou, Linus...Link!" Her heart swelled and she cried, "Link! The Hero of Twilight – my dearly beloved – sunshine in mortal form!" She gasped in joy, the phantom gone. How could she ever forget such a valuable name?

This place, it was robbing her of everything she knew and loved.

It was nighttime, moonlight her sole companion once more. She was tired of waiting, and it pained her to accept that her friends may not save her. Once more, she needed to take action, no matter how minute. She had given up too soon; what happened to being a cause rather than an effect? This was the first time since her capture that she was awake alongside the witching hour, the door unlocked.

 _He did not think you would be up this early._

A question entered her mind's eye and she couldn't ignore it. Where was Dark staying? Do shadows even sleep? If anything, the doors are locked in the foyer, but wouldn't he have the keys with him? Should she believe the voice; that he's unsuspecting of her rise and therefore wouldn't notice her investigating his lair?

 _What do you have to lose?_

…

Her magic was coming back to her slowly, but she didn't want to waste it so heedlessly. Farore's winds were being cancelled out by an unseen force, reacting as if it didn't know where she was at the moment. She stalked the black halls, careful not to bump anything and cause a ruckus. Shadows did sleep, but only those in a solid form. They weren't used to mortal skins in this world, she assumed, avoiding even moonlight as they rested in chairs and against walls. They wore grayscaled skin of randoms as the murky reflection of her people. It was disturbing, almost making her question the concept of identity: What came first, light or darkness, or were they one in the same?

 _Take a left._

She listened, even if it wasn't the best idea. But this was the servant's quarters, why would he stay here?

 _He knows his place_.

It was frigid, a draft sneaking up from the floorboards. There were four rooms: two for men, two for women, all with the doors wide open.

 _The first one. There he rests._

"Who are you?" Zelda whispered, but no answer. Gingerly, she peered into the room, surprised she wasn't deceived.

Dark lay, comfortably atop a bed, eyes closed and mouth parted lightly. He looked like a child, harmless and sprawled across the sheets after a long day of play. Except he was as dangerous as a hibernating bear, and she wouldn't be fooled by his resemblance. "Link." she sighed to herself for courage. Dark grumbled in his sleep, brows furrowed in a dream. Vengeance tapped her shoulder, and she approached him.

Now would be the optimal time to search his memories, and learn once and for all where he came from. It was perfect, he was unconscious and wouldn't be able to reject her.

That was illegal – _What are laws without enforcers?_

It was morally wrong – _Who would judge you, a society miles away?_

What if it killed him! – _You could care less_.

She was seduced. The princess gladly stood over him, menacingly. She held both hands out and closed her eyes ritualistically, tapping into the meager well of energy around her. The moment she reached it, it became greedy, feeding off her as she placed her index fingers lightly on his cold forehead; she tensed, and everything went dark.

…

She stood within a void gradually blooming with sights – picture a head rush, when one stands up too fast. Gray fuzziness ate at the darkness until the world formed around her, edges like diluted paint and details blended like a watercolor piece. She braced herself for the pain of recollection, a very real and very damaging jolt to the chest caused by the magic used to play the memory – usually her helper took the blow, and Gods did it hurt like a donkey's kick.

She was placed in the heart of an alleyway bustling with impatient individuals who walked right through her – she was merely a spectator. Their faces were just as colorless as the world around them, like newspaper print and ash. Zelda gandered up at the buildings; it was definitely a reflection of Hyrule Castle Town, where west was east and north was south; but more importantly night was day. They lived in everlasting darkness where the black sky looked fake, like a dome covered in dark fabric. There was no moon, yet the streets were lit.

Zelda followed the others to a street where people gathered, arguing with one another for small talk. You'd be surprised how much you unintentionally hear or see without realizing. As the day drags on, your mind forgets the unimportant details, but here the magic puts the pieces back together. Dark was near, his hearing must be superb since the sound of others was still clear even with him out of sight. The denizens beat their wives, their wives were openly unfaithful. People cried until their voices vanished or fought until their faces swelled; jealous lovers attacked the competition – controlled chaos of the worst traits mortals had to offer. It was disturbing, the fluids and punches that flew like dirty pigeons. This world was the land of shadows, the darker side of the moon, a realm she was unfamiliar with.

Someone shouts, "He approaches!" and the crowd grows quiet.

Zelda awed at how rapidly their demeanor changed from rowdy to submissive, dropping to their knees. The rhythmic clicking of hooves faded into existence, a large white horse turning into the street. It was a giant beast clothed in thick metal plates; her rider just as menacing. Dark rode with a narcissistic smirk and an excited air about him. He and his stead were sullied by black liquid and cockiness like war paint.

When people began flinging themselves crying, "Our Savior!" and "Hero!", Zelda found herself struggling to stomach the idea. Like cultists, they revered him and his bloodied clothes, trying to touch and transfer the trophy to their skin – contagious magic. He didn't stop moving, eyes focused on what lay before him: a brooding copy of Hyrule Castle. She walked through the crowd to follow alongside him as the memory continued. When he reached the plaza – fountain head inverted in this world – a woman stood in the way. She was beautiful, hair voluminous and shiny even in this charcoal cityscape. She held an air of temptation, preening and moving her curvaceous body coquettishly. She winked at Dark and extended a slender arm out as an invitation. "Come Hero," she moaned coyly, "Who needs _her_ when you can have me?"

He dismounted with a grin and approached her, crowd curious and frightened. When the woman saw he was responding, she puffed her chest out and lowered long curly lashes seductively. Dark took her arm and pulled her to him, turning her body so her back was pressed against his chest, bending her arm slightly behind her. A gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as he took in her scent, placing his face against her own. Zelda was agog and raised a confused brow until a dangerous fire lit his eyes.

He frowned," Don't you **ever** speak ill of her, skank."

There was a loud crack mixed with screams as the woman collapsed to the floor, cradling her broken arm and writhing in pain. Anger crossed her expression as she hollered, reaching into her dress to consume something. The word 'addiction' crossed Dark's mind, and therefore hers as the woman seemed to become sedated. Dark mounted his stead and threatened, "Disrespect her again, and I'll kill you." The crowd agreed it was just punishment, but Zelda could just stare dumbfoundedly. Who was this _her_ they kept referring to, and why such unwavering loyalty? Dark carried on as if it was nothing, the guards saluting as he entered the gates.

They took his horse and offered him a towel to wipe his tunic but he refused, entering the castle with a skip in his step. It was odd, so she followed him close. He was heading upstairs, ascending level by level in great haste, people making sure to stay out of his way. The castle was even a mirror image of her own! Such a strange and confusing place this was, a plane so similar yet so contrasting. He reached a plump man dressed in courtier robes, but wasn't in any way Alger, who announced, "She's been waiting."

Dark looked guilty for once, unwilling to look him in the eyes, and ran up the stairs to the throne room. The wind was icy, but it didn't bother him as he eagerly entered. It almost looked the same – _almost_.

Torches lit the hall, and atop the stone throne was a statue lacking the Golden Goddesses, but rather, with a slab of limestone carved with the same insignia scarred into her leg. She touched the wound fearfully when she heard a strange noise. A figure sat crumpled inside the throne, crying religiously, face in her hands. Dark's voice sounded in her head, 'A sorrowful beauty'. The woman lifted her head up, tears caught on her lower lid like dew on a windowsill, and small mouth trapped in a pout. Zelda's breath hitched in her throat when their eyes met, the woman was looking right at her, black orbs flickered with recognition as a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, tear streaks leaving a permanent tattoo on her white skin.

"Queen Zelda," Dark gasped, dropping to his knees in a gracious bow. The Princess saw those dark eyes were really focused on the man behind her, but she was still shaking. Queen? Her shadow was a Queen? And even so, she had a doppelganger? Why was this the first time she saw her, why did her expression seem to jump from prey to predator at a whim? Zelda stepped back, having to catch her breath.

"My darling," the Queen purred, jumping from her seat to saunter over to him, lids lowered coyly.

He looked up, and never had she seen such an elated expression on his features. He seemed to glow, and he held himself back from running up to her. Princess Zelda did not understand his reaction, did not understand anything.

"I missed you, darling," She motioned him to stand, "Welcome home."

He rose, still holding back even as she embraced him tightly. "I missed you more my Queen," he smiled, closing his eyes rapturously as her hands went up to grab his hair, and her face nuzzled in the crook of his neck. Her body seemed to tighten; however, and he grunted in pain as she fisted the strands dangerously. The sound of her sniffing was prominent.

"Oh darling." The Queen sang against him.

He didn't flinch. "Yes?"

She lifted her head up, lips pulled to a firm frown as jealousy filled her blood. "You have not been with another woman, have you?" She kept her voice level, but her right hand was digging deep into his arm.

Still no emotion from Dark, he simply took what she dealt to him. "No, my Queen."

She chuckled, bringing her hand up to caress his face – he leaned his head closer to her palm as she did so – and looked him dead in the eyes. With swift movements, she gripped his chin with her thumb and growled obsessively. "You are mine, remember, pet. Belonging only to me."

He tried to nod, brows furrowed in concern. "Of course I am," he assured, hands going up to touch her, but she smacked them away.

The Queen sighed, pushing strands of hair behind his ear in exasperation. She continued, "And you know I always get what I want. I wanted my birthright, so I seized it, killing all who opposed me." She waved to the plaques that hung noticeably on the wall, shimmery metals with the decapitated heads of men and women mounted like game. Zelda covered her mouth, about ready to vomit at the disrespectful sight, flabbergasted when she noticed amongst them was her father. This Zelda, this version of herself, murdered the King of Hyrule, among many others with ease, if not pleasure.

Dark seemed to find surprising pleasure in the way the Queen spoke so openly about her conquests, lightly moaning as she joyfully continued listing them. "And I wanted strength, so I killed my enemies who underestimated me. And when I wanted you...well, that was easy. Now I want the truth."

He blinked, "Yes, my Queen."

She released him, stepping back so to watch the excitement dissipate from his eyes from her lack of contact. The Queen crossed her arms, raising a slender brow. "So then tell me pet, why do I smell another woman on your skin."

He wasted no time declaring, "There was a woman in the plaza."

A smirk graced her lips around the same time a cloud of black crossed her milky skin. She took a step forward and pushed, "And?"

"And she attempted to seduce me, but I refused."

Another step forward, this time she pressed her chest against his, glaring daggers at him. She shouted, "And!"

He shouted back, "And she spoke ill of your name, so I broke her arm!"

That was the correct answer.

She smiled, returning to caress and pet him temptingly, running her thumb across his lips. "...Good, my darling," she purred before snapping her fingers. Two men appeared from the shadows dressed in guards' uniforms. She never took her eyes off Dark as she commanded, "Kill her. I am disappointed I have to do this, you would think my subjects would know by now not to cross me. She saw this coming."

Dark nodded as the men left to follow their orders. "I completely agree my Queen," He smiled.

She chuckled lightly, "Please, darling, no need for formalities here."

A dangerous flicker graced him, a look Zelda was all too familiar with. It was the primal rush of adrenaline he held each time he attacked her, but this time it was more sophisticated, manifesting itself in the twitching of his fingers as he reached up to touch the shadow woman, yet ultimately thought against it.

The Queen noticed it though, and appeared just as smug as he often was. She pressed her breasts closer to him in a very raunchy and distasteful manner, almost making Zelda uncomfortable to watch. As far as she was concerned, this looked like _she_ was the one flirting with this cretin. "Do you wish to touch me, pet?" The Queen touched his forehead with her own, closing her eyes.

He swallowed hard, balling his fists. "I have been gone for many months fighting in your name," he stated as if it would hint at something.

The Queen breathed a laugh as she brushed her lips against his playfully. "And I could not be more grateful."

Dark appeared uncomfortable and frustrated, like a proud man forced to ask for help. The Queen wanted to humble him, or humiliate him – either way, Zelda felt glad to see him suffer. "Say it, darling, I give you permission." She said in half-command.

He took a deep inhale. "I...need you."

Her eyes shot open with a blazing fire beneath them. She pulled away and glowered at him with a sharp, "Your subtly angers me." She shoved him back and began walking away.

He held his hands out and frantically asked, "No, I apologize!"

To think he would react this way to someone, even after they pushed him, was astonishing. The Queen stopped, but her shoulders began to quiver as loud sobs reverberated from her chest and echoed through the hall. Zelda's face contorted in discomfort; the way her shadow changed from emotion to emotion was strange and uncontrollable like the sea. Arousal, jealousy, anger, sadness, all within one encounter was baffling to say the least, yet Dark reacted as if this was a logical series of events.

He drew his sword and snarled at nothing, angered by the root of her sorrows but in extreme proportions. He growled, "Who troubles you, my love, tell me and I shall end them!"

The Queen wiped her face but the tear trail remained even more prominent than before, turning to waddle back to her knight as her sobs subsided. "I mourn the lives of those who died in my name, those I could have saved but was unable to in my conquests. Their ghosts still speak to me, blaming and screaming I could have done better."

Zelda pursed her lips in thought. The Queen still had warrior's heart, even if the timeline of this world was different from her own; and this made her uneasy. Honestly, it bothered her so much that the Princess felt angry for reasons she didn't truly comprehend.

Dark ran to grab and hold her. "You did what you could!"

She looked up at him with wet eyes. "...I know," Her hands pulled his face to hers in a hard kiss before she annoyingly urged, "Confess to me, dammit." Did she just use pity to her advantage?

His self control snapped as he began roaming her body with his hands aggressively, hissing behind clenched teeth. "God, I want you and only you, my Queen. I can't live without my fix of your lips."

"More!" She yelled.

"No woman leaves me as weak and defenseless as you. I would kill thousands if it meant being with you. I live to please you!"

She was growing tired of not hearing what she wanted, Zelda could tell by the way she held an attitude. "And I live to do the same, my darling, but you must tell me what you want before I can give."

A silvery blush slapped his face as he uncomfortably shimmied. It was not becoming of him, shyness.

The Queen gave him a black look, releasing him and walking away. "You must not want me as much as you claim," she sneered.

He panicked, reaching out to grab her arm while proclaiming rather loudly, "Allow me to make love to you!"

Zelda gasped in shock, embarrassed and even disturbed by the turn of events. That kind of talk was foreign to her ears, and the way the Queen smirked at him – her face was steaming.

"Now, was that so hard." The Queen laughed, pulling him to the throne and pressing her lips against his.

Immediately, Zelda turned around, covering her ears at the naughty sounds and actions occurring behind her. This was too much for her, too too much and very disturbing. She wanted to submerge herself in scalding hot water to clean the idea of what was occurring off her. Hastily, she closed her eyes and tried with all her might to rush the memory along, pushing to find something less risque.

Without the sun, she could not discern how much time had passed, but from the sound of gentle breathing, she was sure they were at least done – praise Hylia.

Dark and his Queen lay together on the throne still, their legs hanging off the armrest with clothes not entirely off, yet not on. Dark's arm was around her shoulder, pulling her close as her right hand drew circles on his exposed chest. His eyes were closed and a sweet smile graced his lips as she trailed fresh scars on his skin. There were so many, like roads on a map, some deep and others shallow. The Queen eyed them sadly, her ungloved fingers stopping at the laceration that started at his collar bone and ended just below his ribs. Guilt plagued her eyes, and Zelda believed that the Queen felt responsible for whatever injury was inflicted on Dark. War scars were still her capability, and the memory of him healing from these injuries played behind black eyes. She'd softly kiss a few, maybe in efforts to wash them away.

It's interesting to note that this shadow woman bore no Triforce, and that made Zelda question her preconceived theory.

Dark had made it sound like these shadows were simply manifestations of the negative attributes of the people of light – entities born from frustration, addiction, jealousy, etc. Yet, the more the princess watched them interact with each other and the world around them, creating relationships and timelines different from her own, made things a lot more complex. The Queen and Dark had their own lives, their own opinions and personalities...their own love. And it sounded to have been lasting for years; that means they were romantic far before Link stumbled back into her life. Demons had a home, and seemed happy living in darkness, so why did they come to Hyrule?

"What bothers you, my love?" Dark lifted her chin up in concern as tears ran down her face.

She looked away. "Traumas of course… among other things."

"Like?"

The Queen bit her lip before turning back to Dark with forced calmness and disclosed, "...I have been having dreams of the Old God...He speaks to me."

 _Old God?_ Zelda wondered, grabbing her hand in shock of the idea of a blasphemous world. This realm was truly without Hylia.

Dark queried, "Is that not joyous? Last He spoke to you, it was to assure your ability to usurp your father–"

The Queen glared at his choice of words.

He cleared his throat and tried again, "To _reclaim_ the throne from your father."

She set her head on his chest and mumbled, "He does not bring good news this time…"

Dark blurted, "What?"

The Queen moved to bury her face into the crook of his neck to hide the tears that made her body quiver. She murmured, "...I never wish to leave your side, my darling. I would level empires if it meant I could be with you."

He sat up, grabbing her wrist and peeling her away to see her face. He was worried, pinning her down so she couldn't escape. "And I for you, but why do you speak like this?"

"What if I...died?" she spilled.

Dark gasped, and his eyes seemed to gloss over – or maybe it was the torch light. He hovered over her, frozen as his mind worked around the question. Nervously he began to chuckle, handling the heavy situation with humor to try and deflate how badly it made him hurt. This was a rare spectacle, being able to read him like a book – and she could see how defensive he was when it came to emotions like hurt and fear. He laughed, "Nothing can kill you, and even if someone tried, I would burn the world to find them...You, are mine."

The scene began to change again, she couldn't stand seeing Dark that way. It made him feel too...human. She didn't care about his emotional turmoils or how he dealt with stress, she didn't care about how he felt when he was eager to torture her. Time would be running out soon, and she needed to see how exactly he came to the world of light before she became trapped within his memories.

The Queen now sat fully clothed in her throne, donning a harsh attitude. She was like an iron statue, eyes cold and expression unmoving as people began to wail and beg at her feet. She was listening to the pleas of the common people, Dark standing to the right of her; back straight and hands behind him.

She shooed a man away, one who had been in tears over his farm being attacked by bandits – the Queen blamed his alcoholism for not having enough money for weapons, and deemed him unworthy of her mercy. Zelda wasn't surprised anymore by the harsh behavior, it seemed commonplace.

As the farmer was dragged away, Dark groaned, "God, this is so boring. Can't we just leave, my Queen?"

She didn't move her head, but her long fingers clenched into a fist and brows curled angrily. She fumed, "I hate listening to them just whine and complain when I have given them everything! They could be dead, my darling, I could just snap and end their miserable lives, yet they continue to insult and abuse me." A dark giggle turned into a series of short wails as she asked, "Am I that terrible a Queen?"

Dark jeered, "Of course not, they're just selfish fools!"

It was then that the fat courtier from earlier came with a sour expression. He announced, " Your Majesty, a representative from the council is here to see you."

 _You would think a tyrant like her would have no need to keep the council,_ Zelda mentally commented.

The Queen bared her teeth in a condescending smile and hissed, "I said I wanted nothing to do with their idiotic group, yet you let them breathe my air."

"They were insistent."

She narrowed her eyes, unappreciative of a weak answer. Without looking to Dark, she inquired, "Hero, what do we do to servants who don't follow orders?"

He crossed his arms with a smirk, "Punish them."

The courtier had a mischievous grin curl his lips as treachery filled his black eyes. "Then I give you the names of the men who let them through the gates."

The Queen smiled, motioning him over to pat his cheek harshly. "You are smart to offer that. You've been saved, but send those men to the dungeons."

As the courtier left, Dark snarled in his direction, not particularly liking her touch on another man, no matter how abusive it was. The representative entered the stage with her hair pulled up into a tightly braided bun. She kept a straight back and smiled to hide the crippling anxiety within. She bowed lowly, white locks streaked with gray. She declared, "Your Majesty, how radiant you appear."

Dark bit his tongue in jealousy.

"What do you want, peasant," the Queen rolled her eyes.

The representative reached into her bodice and produced a sealed letter between dainty fingers. She slowly approached to hand the parchment over. "I have a letter from the Judges. I am only a messenger in this meeting."

The Queen snapped her fingers and Dark snatched it away, handing it to her afterwards. She flicked the envelope open and raised a brow as her eyes skimmed it. Dark never read it, so to Zelda it was blank. The Queen stayed unresponsive for a while until professing, "A marriage proposal."

Dark let loose a gasp, but coughed it off when the women glanced at him. He was sweating, eyes sad at the inevitable idea.

The representative clasps her hands and smiled, "It would be good for all players."

The Queen set the letter down and stabbed the paper with her finger. A twisted glower appeared as she accused, "It is written here like a threat. As if I _have_ to."

The woman gulped nervously, taking a step back. "Most nobility do–"

Her mad laughter interrupted, "Do you take me as a fool? Why would I need help ruling my kingdom? It is your cause that requires strong leadership, as you fear we will start attacking the borders of nations you take payments from, even more so than we already have. You fear your inability to keep promises made in your corruption, because either way, you die."

"Your majesty, you are single and heirless, it would be wise to consider marrying a prince or king." She glanced at Dark who looked away in embarrassment, breath quivering in her chest. But she made the mistake of continuing, "Your pet is not –"

The sharp edge of a blade touched the skin above her jugular, and the Queen happily glared up from her raised arm as she held it. She threatened with a soft beautiful voice like an angel of music, "Bring up my pet and marriage one more time. I dare you, because the moment your tongue touches your teeth, my blade will be cutting the last thread of skin on your neck, and I will be using your head for a foot rest."

Fearful tears streamed down the representative's face as she felt a small droplet of black blood run down.

"My darling," the Queen commanded, setting her estoc beside her throne.

Dark stood in front of the representative and kicked her in the gut, knocking her to the ground. Zelda shivered at how cruel the Queen was. Sometimes, the princess would image being cold and speak her mind to politicians who annoyed her, but to go through with it was unthinkable.

"Tell your judges I want nothing to do with their orgy of weakness; and for the last time, they have no ruling power over my kingdom anymore. If they bother me or my pet, I will not hesitate to round them up and hang them alongside my father's headless body. Am I understood?

She couldn't speak as the wind was knocked out of her.

"Am I understood!" The Queen shouted.

"Yes your Majesty!" The representative wailed.

"Now get out. You upset me." She pinched the bridge of her nose as the woman was escorted away. Dark made a minute noise that grabbed her attention, looking forlorn and small. Concern painted her features as she called out to him,"Yes, darling?"

He jumped, not intending for her to catch his moment of weakness. "They annoy me."

Her hand reached up to touch him but he stepped away. Frustration crossed her features, but it morphed to possessiveness. She assured, "And I. But worry not, you are mine to keep."

"Even if you grow tired of me?" He reinstalled sadly. Vulnerability did not suit him.

She gasped in offense, "Never! You are my prize from Him. The Old God assured me a pet for life, and I intend to keep you." She was able to grab his wrist and pull him forward, almost knocking him off balance. She caressed his face until the worry melted away, and his eyes roamed her form.

"My love," he smirked.

"Yes?"

"Can we hurry this? I can't stand being here much longer, looking down your bodice from this position yet required to stay still." He laughed.

She giggled, purposely moving her chest seductively. Zelda was going to be sick. "No one is here again, darling, nothing is stopping you."

The loud sound of doors swinging open said otherwise.

The Queen stood up and grabbed a nearby vase, throwing it at the approaching courtier. She hollered, "BY GOD WHO DARES INTRUDE MY THRONE ROOM WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?!"

The courtier cowered away, "It's–"

The figure behind him interrupted, "I can introduce myself, thanks."

Zelda knew that voice as a cloaked man approached slowly. The Queen growled, "State your business, fool."

"I am Ganondorf of the Gerudo tribe." He introduced, cloaks dragged behind him and he hobbled in her direction.

So he entered the Realm of Shadow first, but how? He was dead as a doornail after the invasion, and this was far from a realm for spirits. The Queen smirked, not realizing the gravity of the situation. "Impossible. They are extinct. Maybe you are a descendant, yes, but no matter. What do you want."

Idiot woman, did she not know how much danger she was in!? Zelda could feel the smile on Ganondorf's lips at her response. "You know why," he let the idea sink in, "Your Old God freed me, brought salvation and truth to my eyes, and has sent me here."

She grew serious, jaw tightening in newfound fear. "So He has…" she mumbled, "You are from the Realm of Light, I presume, dead even from the stench of cursed fatality on your clothes. How does He plan to return you there?"

"That is not for you to know. I have come here for something."

Electricity filled the room, tense and uncomfortable. The Queen and Ganondorf stood their ground like two alpha wolves waiting for the other to drop their guard. She raised a slender brow and inquired, "And what is that?"

"I am here, for him." Ganondorf pointed a decaying finger at Dark who gasped.

"Why me?" he asked, stepping back.

"He bids it. You shall be coming with me now." A long silver chain manifested in Ganondorf's grubby hands. Dark's eyes widened at the device and rubbed his neck as an unseen force seemed to irritate him.

"No way, I refuse!" He shook his head violently, "This is madness, I don't even know who you are!"

"Do not go against His plan boy, or you'll soon regret it. You will come with me as we await our bridge to the world of Light, and in that limbo, all will be revealed." Ganondorf did not convince Dark, nor even put him at ease. Zelda glanced between them and struggled to understand. What bridge would link these realms, who or what had such power? The Mirror of Twilight was shattered, the Sacred Realm locked, yet here Ganondorf was, almost corpse-like assuring a way through.

The Queen, with her head hung low and hair covering her face, hadn't said a word. Dark looked to her for anything, but she was limp. No wait, her shoulders began to shimmy; and what was that noise?

She began to laugh, "Hehe...Ha ha..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" She looked up with a twisted face, wide eyed and grinning like a Cheshire cat. She bared her teeth as if they were fangs and hissed, "You think you will be taking my darling?"

The Queen stood, tears appearing in her eyes at the inevitable. She knew this was going to happen. She cried out, "HE BELONGS TO ME!"

Ganondorf sighed imminently, "He thought you would say that."

Dark shook his head, but stepped in front of her protectively. "I won't go with you unless my Queen permits it."

"I do not," She pushed passed him and began heading toward the elderly Gerudo.

Ganondorf, sounding almost regretful, said, "I will just have to take him then."

"Over my dead body!" she stomped.

"You are wasting my time." He raised his right hand, the Triforce on his dilapidating skin glowed with ebony light she'd never seen before. The Queen was just as surprised, but she was given no time to react as her body combusted into a cloud of dark dust, her scream being the last you heard.

Zelda's mind raced as the space where she once stood was now just ash. He killed her. Dark stared in wide eyed horror at the spot, running over and dropping to his knees, tears streaming down but no sound escaping his opened mouth. He held the ashes like a child trying to build a sand castle, holding it up to his chest and breathing heavily through clenched teeth. He was seething, unsheathing his blade and charging at Ganondorf with a piercing war cry.

The Gerudo was prepared, throwing the chain that wrapped around Dark's neck, knocking him over and crawling beneath his skin. The shadow clawed at it as the blood mixed in with salty tears burning with revenge.

Ganondorf clenched his fist and the binds now invisible seemed to tighten as Dark fought to breathe. "Stop struggling," he growled, "She brought it upon herself, going against what was already explained to her. We await our summons, pet."

" I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" He hissed with a gasp.

" _Cease_." A voice echoed in his mind loudly, causing him to pause. Zelda leaned in curiously, listening to the sounds of rumbling mountains turn into words. " _Your compliance shall be rewarded."_

Dark grabbed his head and muttered to himself angrily. "You killed her!"

" _If you promise to behave, I can give you the means to bring her back..._ "

It had Dark's undivided attention. " _You obey me, the Gerudo is a mere puppet playing master…"_

"If I listen to you," he grinned, "I get her...back. And that fool will die by my hand."

The voice paused, "Yes."

Zelda yelped in pain as her eyes burned in the back of her head. Time was up.

…

Her head snapped back roughly as she was thrust out of the memory by two strong hands. She was pushed to the ground, looking up to see the wild eyes of Dark in uncontrollable tears as he choked her. He was shaking, wailing in rage, "ARE YOU FUCKING PROUD OF YOURSELF, PRINCESS?! WANT TO KNOW MORE, YOU SLAG!"

Zelda pushed him away with her foot, knocking him against the bedframe as she crawled away. He just sat there and bawled his eyes, immobile by the emotions he was unfamiliar with. Zelda pitied him. "You loved her," she whispered, "And made some kind of deal to bring her back."

This angered him, and he rose up with sick laughter. His sorrow fueled his insanity as he sang, "I'll enjoy watching the life leave your eyes. "

He lunged, but she was able to summon a weak barrier of light between them. She cursed as pain shot up her ribcage like she'd been hit with a bat. He still charged at it, banging his fists and body at the wall continuously.

"Who was that voice?" She harshly inquired, cradling her side.

Dark bared his teeth like a rabid animal. "You know His name – a being living within us all."

She shook her head at the vague answer, frightful of what would happen if she couldn't deescalate the situation. "W-We can help you!" Zelda lied, "Doing this will not bring her back, you are being deceived by a false deity!"

He pressed his face up against the light even as it began burning his grey skin, and cursed, "YOU REALLY ARE A STUPID BITCH! DON'T YOU GET IT?! EVERY TIME YOU CRY, EVERYTIME YOU SEE GHOSTS OR BECOME ENRAGED, THAT'S _HER_! WHEN YOU SCREAM, BEG ME TO STOP, OR KILL, THAT IS _HER_! SHE WAS SEPARATED FROM HER BODY BUT HER SPIRIT LIVES IN YOUR PAIN AND SUFFERING – AND I PLAN TO TORTURE IT OUT UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT. DRAIN YOU OF EVERYTHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, BECAUSE WHY SHOULD YOU BE ALIVE? A WORTHLESS WORM OF A WOMAN UNDESERVING OF ANY KIND OF LOVE OR POSITION OF POWER! YOU'RE WEAK, AND A MEAGER SURROGATE HOLDING HER CAPTIVE, SO I'M GOING TO TAKE GREAT PLEASURE IN WATCHING CRUMBLE!"

 _Run._

Zelda scurried away, pulling herself up and darting out the door as fast as her legs could carry her. Her heart pounded in anxiety as she zoomed through halls; Dark's cackle booming through the walls. She was going to die if he caught up to her, and like a desperate fool, she flung herself at the front door of the foyer, pulling at the handles with all her might, but something was blocking the other side!

She turned around to stare at the cloaked casket, running over to it before pulling the sheet away. Maybe it held a sacred weapon he was hiding, something she could use to defend herself.

It wasn't.

It was a glass coffin, but instead of a sleeping beauty awaiting her prince was a body of onyx smoke, twisting and curling mischievously. Zelda pressed her hands against the dome and investigated the inside. It appeared organic and calculated in the way it moved, molding itself into a crude image of a face – a face that, the closer she leaned in, was beginning to reflect her own.

 _That is me,_ the little voice introduced just as two dead eyes formed.

Zelda jumped back and screamed, the smoke-formed body breaking down and losing shape. That was the Queen, slowly being put back together yet trapped in a gaseous state. Yet in meeting Zelda's gaze, the creature's mist hardened and eventually melted, no longer moving. Was it her stare or the light pooling in from the window that caused this reaction? She'd never know.

"You brat." Dark's growls permeated the room but body unseen. "Look what you have done…"

Zelda cursed, grabbing a spear from an armored statue and held her own. He appeared, like a rabbit out of a hat, behind her, grabbing the weapon and twisting it from her grasp.  
"YOU WANT TO HELP ME?" he roared, turning her to face him and punching her square in the jaw.

She was knocked face first onto the floor, head spinning. Dark pounced on top of her and dug his knee into her back to keep her steady, casting the spear to the side sloppily. "Allow me to break you like the dog you are!" He snarled wickedly, moving to mess with her skirts.

She panicked, squirming to distract him as she reached for the discarded weapon. She could feel his sharp nails crawling up her leg while assuring, "I won't stop until she's back, no matter how long, my Queen will return to me, and we plan to damn all of Hyrule to achieve that!"

It was just a breath away, as was he – but with a cry, she grabbed the spear and swung back to smack him with it.

He was knocked over this time, and Zelda ran again, spear in hand, to the church. She pushed chairs and altar pieces toward the door as a barricade and frantically searched for a way out. Dark howled like a wounded animal from the otherside, but didn't seem to be following her in any way. Maybe he was mourning his failed experiment – what did it matter anyway.

Zelda dropped to her knees and began to sob, hugging herself as she struggled to breathe amongst the spirits. The way his hand groped and attacked her; she felt dirty and violated. All she could see was his attacks, feel his punches and pain bruising her once clean skin. Sorrow stained her face, she needed to wash it off! She threw herself onto the altar, taking holy water once used to bathe a married couple and doused herself with it, licking it off her lips and praying aloud, "Hylia, Nayru, anyone! Please save me from this place!"

…

Days didn't matter to her so much anymore. She rested, squeezed inside of a large tabernacle which once held the food needed in ritual for spring. It was tight and uncomfortable, but the perfect hiding spot as she rode out her purgatory.

It would be done soon, either she would die from hunger or starvation, but that was better than being murdered. She felt more in control that way. When she felt the coast was clear, Zelda would leave her temporary home and search for a way out, but a person could only take so much disappointment. Dark probably knew she was holding herself here, but that kind of thinking didn't help either. Things seemed pretty miserable, and she was willing to take it. This was her life.

Noises interested her, even if there weren't many. It made her feel less lonely, and misery loves company, so she would happily listen to any kind of ruckus that made itself known. She was unhappy.

She sat at the altar and waited for curious sounds, but it was uneventful. Things were boring. And she couldn't play with imagination, or her mind would take over, and that hurt worse than hunger. She was pathetic.

 _Crash!_

Something broke in the kitchen, sounding like a ceramic bowl or cup. Stupid shadows were so clumsy and chaotic... that was a fun sound.

 _Creek!_

The castle was settling like a tired back laying on a soft bed. That sounded refreshing, what a joy.

 _BOOM!_

She jumped up as the room seemed to shake from whatever collided with the walls outside. It was loud and made her heart leap – was that coming from the foyer? _It sounded like doors – no, do not get your hopes up!_ She argued with herself, half wanting to see with her own eyes. The piled up chairs taunted her in possibility, but her mind said no. Why would she willing run into a possible trap!

"Zelda!" A voice called.

That was her, wasn't it? She scurried forward, pulling at the chairs, praying for it not to be another one of Dark's nasty tricks. But who would be calling her? She cleared things away as best she could and grabbed her spear, clutching it tightly against her chest.

Gingerly, she opened the door and peered out: things were clear. No sign of movement as she ran as quickly as she could through the halls and closed doors. The foyer was in her vision and – were the doors open?! She bolted to the gaping entrance and dropped her weapon.

On the other side was not the expansive courtyard leading to the Castle Town gates; but rather, were the walls of a cave, the mouth a mere walking distance away. She slowly stepped through the door, a single lantern set on the earthy ground, and grabbed her head in confusion. This place wasn't even the real Hyrule Castle...it wasn't even real!

Turning back, she saw how the illusion worked, the foyer doors now appearing like the entrance of a shack built within the cavern. She'd been deceived this whole time.

"Zelda…" A man appeared in the doorway, eyes circled with sleepless nights and face covered in unshaved scruff. Her breath quickened as she backed away – it was Dark in a new form, trying to trick her again with painted skin and golden hair. She would not fall for it, not even for a faked glimmer of recognition in azure orbs. He walked up to her, tears in eyes – it distracted her long enough for him to wrap his arms around her in a hug. It was tender and warm, not sadistic and threatening. His tunic smelled of grass... what an odd scent to notice.

He pulled away to look at her, but she didn't know who he was; this stranger who mimicked her villain. A flicker of confusion and sadness pulled his face to a frown, and cautiously she pulled away.

The sound of slow clapping grabbed both their attention, and she screamed at the sight of Dark grinning at them both. "What tragedy," He purred, "Love lost."

What did he mean by that?

The man grunted, motioning for her to stand behind him, but why would he care about her concern? He unsheathed a magnificent sword, the shield on his back homing a beautiful crest. Was he a knight?

"I'll be needing that back now." Dark pointed to her, and she hid away. The man; however, took them as fighting words, and charged without thinking at the shadow. She gasped as he slashed and attacked Dark, unable to turn away from their tussle. He stood no match against the villain, his shield and legs taking most of the damage as Dark copied and anticipated his movements. The man was getting hurt, badly, and she couldn't fathom why. She shouted for him to stop, for him to just run away and save himself, but he wasn't listening.

She was no one, why would he risk his life for her? He fought so valiantly even though she was nothing to him. The fire in his eyes showed that may have just been his nature, but the way he looked at her when she insisted felt more personal. She considered just running herself, but something was keeping her put.

"Ah!" The man groaned, collapsing to the floor as his blade flew from his grasp. It landed almost beside her and she stared in horror at his bloodied clothes and worn out figure. Dark stood above him and appeared to speak in mocking whispers. She gasped, that poor man was going to be killed if she didn't do something!

She glanced down at the blade and paused at her own reflection, time coming to a screeching halt. A woman with disheveled hair and bruises on her face and mouth looked back at her, eyes red from salty tears and sullied with hurt. A crown stood atop her head, golden beneath the dirt that was beginning to film, and home to many dimmed jewels. That was her, a person she had almost forgotten, a woman of dignity and grace hidden under layers of misuse. It came back to her, the title she once wore proudly, lost to days of sulking and hiding. She had taken on the role she was playing, but the theatre was closed now, and acting wasn't her hobby either.

Anger burned in the pit of her belly, how could she let herself forget so easily all that she was! The Princess dropped down and grabbed the blade, even while it singed her palm as her fingers wrapped around it. Its name, the Master Sword, it called out to her – the spirit begged she save her master, allowing her to wield her for only a short time.

How could she have allowed this play to drag on, playing the lead role as damsel-in-distress without question? It was heavy in her hand, a good weight despite shriveling muscles. She threw her spear against the cave wall to grab the shadow's attention, the face of her love glowing at the sight of her awakening.

Yes, she was not Zelda The Slave of The Shadows. She was Princess Zelda, the rose of Hyrule, and she would be a Hero. "Link!" Her voice rang like the bells of war.

Dark glared at her as she challenged him with her stormy eyes, pointing his blade in her direction. Grabbing her skirts, she ripped the tattered bottoms off, widening her stance. She would defend him, she would be _his_ knight!

Dark charged. Right foot, left foot – she waited to take the adjustment step, evading him just in time. He stopped, turned to face her and smiled in intimidation. She faltered, but gripping the hilt harder, she focused on his eyes, swinging in his direction before he had time to get in her head. She forced steady breathing, trying her hardest to only imagine the outcome of victory – controlled emotion, let her knowledge guide her!

Midnight swims, sitting together by a fire, dances she was no good at, children playing as her in games – a world she must return to! She was pushing him back with each blow: even if he blocked, she could taste his nervousness. He couldn't mimic her, perfect. Dark jumped back a distance, but she chose to retreat, stepping back without looking away. She had to give her all, she had to apologise to Link for forgetting herself.

Dark came at her again, swinging overhead. Their blades met with a sharp clang as she struggled to keep it away from her head. She glanced down, his stomach vulnerable to a hard right kick. "You are becoming sloppy, interloper!" She scolded with a confident smile.

 _Keep the ego in check_ , she reminded herself as his blade scathed her left shoulder. It was a scratch, but a dangerous one as she needed to focus. He opened his mouth to speak but she blocked him out, lunging the Master Sword forward with all her might. He grasped his cheek with a cry, black blood oozing between his fingertips.

She paused in surprise, and he did too. Removing his hand she saw a deep scarring gash that reached from the apples of his cheeks to the outer shell of his ear. He looked at the blood as if he had never seen such a substance before, and as he tried to heal it, evil's bane shone brighter. His eyes widened, he could not seal it up. Link was not holding the blade, she was.

"You whore!" He shouted, but she was ready for anything. The sword was beginning to blister her, she was not its master and her time to save him was running short. Dark entered his misty form and rushed her, but she was prepared for the mental onslaught – except, it never came. He was gone, and she searched the cave frightfully when it hit her.

"Link!" She cried out, turning toward his still injured body. He was pulling himself up, and upon meeting her eyes, he shook his head _no_. There was a twinge of pain, and looking down was the glistening silver of a blade impaling her abdomen. That was a lot of blood, and as she grabbed it, it harshly slid out from inside her – that hurt even more. She didn't understand what was going on, the man she loves is crying out her name, and without warning, there is a darkness that is felt everywhere.

* * *

 **(EDIT: For some reason my horizontal lines aren't showing - jk they're back)**

 **What a curious development, no?**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **Ralis Renegade, Lollie. T. M, Sp1ketheJeff, Guest, Lady-Homuficer-666, Shroom of Doom, Ultimate blazer, James Birdstrong, and Ripple**

 **Thank you darlings for your reviews; even if you can't forgive Daphnes I hope you can forgive me for this ending cx Cliffhangers are my lover, what can I say cx  
**

 **I'm curious to hear your thoughts about this chapter, as a lot happened and a lot was revealed. It was intense, so I'm interested in your thoughts. I think I'll go into hiding again, please don't hate me.**

 **My lovely editor: SunnyAirisu222**

 **See you next month my lovelies! Don't forget to R &R and get plenty of rest!**


	22. Chapter 21

_Chirp chirp,_

A bird?

 _Cheep chirp,_

What pretty songs of a morning robin. It's been so long since she heard their melodies.

 _Cheep cheep,_

Where was she staying to hear such beautiful music? Her eyes slowly opened to a sunlit room, feeling fresh and alive.

Alive. That couldn't be the correct adjective. She easily lifted herself up into a sitting position, leaning her back against plush pillows and covered her mouth in shock. She was in her bed again, in the castle, but the air was light and lively. Blue skies knocked on her windows as warm sun shone through. Piles of flowers and arrangements made travel through the room nearly impossible, her room smelling like a spring garden.

Princess Zelda touched her abdomen where she'd been stabbed, and looking down at her nightgown, saw there was no scar nor wound to be seen. She was thirsty, but relatively healed. This wasn't making sense, what was going on?

"Princess?" A voice called from the other side of the door, nervously excited.

She hesitated, "...Yes?"

It was Link who burst through the entrance, eyes partially hidden by long locks but smile speaking volumes. He practically threw himself at her, running over bouquets to genuflect at her bedside and take her hand within his, kissing every knuckle.

"Thank Hylia you've woken up!" He praised, "I'm so happy to see you're okay!"

She frowned in stupor. "I was injured in battle, Dark had you bleeding out...What has happened, how long have I been unconscious?"

Link gently pushed her down to lay comfortably before stating, "It's been a while. Throughout the whole Summer season, actually."

"What." Her stomach twisted and muscles cramped in the back of her neck. She sat up but he slid her back down, insisting she not react so emotionally. _So much time wasted,_ she thought, mind struggling to fathom it. Link saw her panic, and tried to soothe her with information.

"After you were struck down..." his voice wavered, "To put it simply, you're safe. All of Hyrule is safe, and all you should worry about is getting better."

She grimaced, "No. I need to know what happened."

He sighed as if bothered by her request. "...Using Evil's Bane, I was able to defeat the shadow just as legend said. It was really complicated, so please don't worry over it."

Zelda groaned, but before she could argue any further, thought aloud, "Prince Harod."

Link nodded his head, and she went pale. "He came, and then left shortly after. They wanted nothing to do with us."

She grabbed his cold hands and placed them on her forehead in shame. "I apologise, I know I should have told you of him–"

"It's fine," he smiled reassuringly, "You had no choice, my darling, and it's all over now."

A cold shiver ran down her spine as she involuntarily snapped, "Do not use that name." He tilted his head in confusion. "Nevermind...I feel weak."

"Then rest." He caressed her cheek gently, standing up to leave, but she gripped his wrist like a child their mother.

"You will not leave me, will you?" She couldn't stand the idea of being away from him any longer. She needed his presence, to feel his soul watch over her as he did so well. His response was far from what she expected.

"I will. I can't stay in here with you as you rest." He informed. "I'm sorry."

She sat there, mouth agape as he walked away, closing the door behind him softly. She didn't feel injured, nor did there seem to be an ailment to recover from;but if it meant seeing the world's state, she would follow the doctor's orders.

…

The next day she awoke to more sweet chirping and sunny skies after a dreamless night – things seemed to be shaping up for her. When Link came in, it was with a very tired Impaz who embraced and cried over her like any doting mother figure would. Zelda was more than thrilled to see her after all this time, relishing the sound of her voice and touch of her hands as she dressed her.

There was not a scratch on her, and Impaz believed it was a mixture of good fortune and modern medicine that saved her flesh. Zelda was relieved, glad to not have another scar. She felt great even after experiencing a coma for so long, no drowsiness or headaches, no cramps or fatigue – she was about ready to run a mile had Link not begun treating her with extreme care.

"I can walk myself," She raised a brow as he continued to hold on to her arm after they descended the stairs. He was so cautious, if not sweet.

"I know, but I want to make sure you're safe." He motioned bustling servants out of the way after they paused to look in awe at the princess. Their eyes were filled with joy and surprise, no longer distrust. The halls were completely restored, unbelievably more beautiful than they were before the invasion; and pride swelled up in her chest at how quickly they were starting to rebuild.

"Where are we heading to, my love?" She pondered with a chuckle, struggling to pull her eyes away from the recreated paintings in the Hall of Queens.

"Close your eyes," He instructed with a grin. She did as she was told, covering her face with gloved hands and waited staunchly. Doors opened, and she was guided two more steps. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when he exclaimed, "Now open!"

Zelda did just that, and she stared in confusion at the small form of Doctor Borville, hands behind his back. She turned to Link who just grinned and pointed at something that seemed to be in the Elder's possession. "Princess," He greeted, bowing his head.

"Yes?" She questioned, noticing they were in the ballroom as more familiar faces seemed to be appearing. Ilia, Elric, Shaman Renado, the Resistance – everyone she could honestly regard as a close ally seemed to crawl out from the shadows. The Doctor cleared his throat and handed her a vial of green liquid. "What is this?" She pondered aloud, taking it from his hand and smelling the odd concoction. It smelt of lawn clippings.

"It seems I was wrong in my previous statements," He cleared his throat, "That there, is the only cure to Warrior's Heart. An elixir created by my brilliant ex-pupil."

Her heart pounded in uncontainable excitement as she nearly cried in disbelief, "You mean this will – Wait, what happened to Fuana?" Her smile fell.

Link, after hearing her concern, stepped in with, "She returned to live with her father, darling. She will be visiting soon though to get that patent."

She sighed in relief, if not disappointment in not being able to say goodbye – but he did say she would be coming back. Doctor Borville waved his hands, "What are you waiting for! Take it!"

Nervously, she brought the cold glass to her lips and downed the liquid whole. It was surprisingly sweet and tangy, traveling down nicely into her gullet and sending a fun tingle throughout her body. She was humming in newfound vigor, and she looked at her body to try and find any physical change. "Did it work?" She inquired.

"Of course it did darling, you already look more radiant." Link embraced her and the room cooed. She blushed as they smiled at her; Link pulling away to lead her deeper into the ballroom. "There's more!"

"Oh my, all these things for me?" She laughed.

Ilia nodded, "We're just so happy to hear you're awake, so we planned a whole festival to celebrate!"

Zelda paled, "Oh Gods, you all really did not need to do that. People wake up all the time."

"That is not the only reason why." Boomed a familiar voice.

King Daphnes entered with a beaten look, approaching her with a shameful frown as he begged for her ear. She straightened up, reserved and cold to him in instinct as he stood before her, acting oddly vulnerable – she kind of hoped it was disingenuous, that way she could be mad at him. "What do you want," She asked rather harshly.

"May we speak?" He rubbed his hands together awkwardly.

"Just because Hyrule is safe again does not mean I will return to my submissive position under your regime." She crossed her arms, proud in her ability to stay so stern.

To her surprise, he dropped to his knees and bowed his head low, shoulders trembling as he appeared to be...crying? Never had she seen her father cry, nor bow to another mortal so willingly – it was frightening.

"W-What has gotten into you." She stuttered, stepping away fearfully.

He looked up at her with tears streaming down his old face as he begged, "Please Princess, forgive me!"

Did her ears deceive her?

"I know now that I have been unfair to you and do not deserve your mercy, but I now understand the error of my ways. No one should have to go through what you did, and I know my words may mean nothing to you, so allow me to speak with my actions." He grovelled at her feet.

She raised a brow. "Which is?"

He removed the crown from his head and announced, "I give you back your birthright."

"What…" She gasped, covering her mouth in bewilderment, knees wobbling as disbelief weighed on her shoulders.

King Daphnes continued, "You were right, daughter, I am no leader! And seeing how selfless you are, made me realize how great of a Queen you would be."

"But the Council–" She was interrupted by three more men entering the scene.

Earl Kemp smiled, "Council Nohansen agrees."

Counselor Fane nodded, "You took the elixir, and are thus mentally sound enough to take the position."

She almost fainted with joy, Link grabbing her arms as she shook in exuberance. "Pinch me, I must be dreaming!" She cried, the whole room coming to congratulate and cheer for her.

"The coronation will be at the end of the week," Link announced, "But for now, the Princess should take things easy for one more day before joining in the festivities."

"Festivities?" She perked up, but the idea of fun and games reminded her of a very special child close to her heart. "Wait, where is Naru?"

Link coughed, "With the Lanayru Virgins of course, and is very far away pilgrimaging with them, sadly."

Before she could ponder this notion, she was being tackled by questions and hopeful stories as her friends tried to recount all that occured in her absence. Their air had a fuzzy, carefree atmosphere about it, and it gave her a high she never wished to come down from. Friends were with her through lunch and through dinner, chatting and filling the drab stone walls of the castle with life. Her father's usual entourage was quiet, and even Alger seemed less judgmental in his old age.

When supper ended, she was escorted lovingly by Link back to her chambers. He bid her goodnight with a refreshing kiss and left her in a state of tranquility. She jumped into the warm sheets of her bed and fell right to sleep, free of nightmares and ghosts.

…

The next day she awoke to millions of beautiful flower petals dancing in the wind outside her window. It was a sight to behold, the pinks and reds that colored the Castle Town below. She leaned out her open window and watched curiously as the people below arranged roses into figures and arches, all in her honor. A benevolent breeze caught her hair and she smiled, soaking up the sunlight and listening to music of peace.

A good night sleep did wonders for her morale, and she felt ready to climb Death Mountain with ease. Impaz boosted her mood with talks of simplicity and relaxation being on the itinerary for the day, and Zelda couldn't have been happier. The Princess arranged her hair joyfully, and drank warm tea as she took the flowers from her room and organized them by color, leaving a note that instructed they be given to the festival goers.

 _Knock Knock,_

"Come in." She sang, setting the note on her desk, facing the entryway to greet Link who waved happily.

"Good morning darling, how was your night?"

"Excellent, thank you." She walked over to him. "You are staring at me as if you have a purpose for being here."

He laughed, "Am I that easy? Well I'll be honest with you, I did have something planned for this afternoon."

"Oh?"

He held her hand gently. "The festival won't be starting until tomorrow, so I thought you and I could spend some time together today?"

She felt her face lift into an uncontrollable grin as the words left his lips. Of course she agreed, and their day began. He took her nowhere special, just the garden covered in fresh morning dew and stone arches. They were served their meals outside as they talked and breathed in the fragrant roses around them. She recounted to many chess games played between her and her father, as well as the surprise she felt in their econcounter yesterday.

"People can change," Link nodded.

He was right, but she still had doubts, and he tried to ease them with caresses on her arm. The grand trees were beginning to golden from fall, green grass contrasting nicely with the shriveling reds and oranges. Autumn would be beautiful this year, she could feel it.

"Will you be staying here," she lowered her eyes, "With me in the Castle?"

He gasped.

"I understand that is a heavy subject, and I do not expect an immediate answer. You have your own home in Ordon, with a life you are comfortable with, near people who understand you. I fear life in the castle will not give you that satisfaction. There are so many rules and masks to wear...You are so open with–" She turned as he interrupted, eyes black with seriousness.

"I'm never leaving your side. Not again."

They stared at one another in silence, one shocked, the other firm. She wanted to jump up with joy but his expression was unlike any she had seen before. It was unreadable – maybe an example of his ability to adapt. He softened again and reached up to cup her cheek. "What do you want most, darling?" He purred.

Her eyes fluttered closed as the warmth from his fingertips lulled her to unwind. She chuckled deep within her chest and hummed playfully, "Honestly? A fall rain would be lovely; a good omen for what's to come for this kingdom. I have lots of work ahead of me, and showers would make me feel much more secure."

He pulled away and she laughed, "That was not the answer you were looking for, I'm sure. You cannot control the weather."

Link appeared indifferent, maybe even upset, but the sound of approaching footsteps put her heart at ease. He was glaring daggers at Alger who, to her surprise, was fixing his plumage before entering the circle of conversation. He stood next to the table before them and bowed politely. He informed, "Your Majesty, you have a visitor."

"Who?" Link queried before she finished processing the sentence.

"The newly elected Mother of the Lanayru Virgins." He brushed a speck of dust off his shoulder.

"I see," she grinned in excitement, "Bring her in. What a good omen indeed."

Link was not as thrilled as she would have hoped. When Alger left, he jumped up and crossed his arms like a tantrum stricken child. "What's that?" He pouted.

"What is what?"

"That Mother."

Princess Zelda's eyes widened, "You are unaware? She is what the oracles pretended to be, hralds to the Goddesses and leaders of the College. The last Divine Mother died six years ago, and it has been a struggle to find a replacement." Adjusting the diadem on her forehead, she wondered aloud, "In all honestly, I assumed the position was a thing of the past, considering how autonomously run the college has been with just the sisters. They already have Head Priestesses, but if it's what the Gods will, I shall not question."

He wasn't listening, only peering out toward the garden walkway in annoyed confusion. A figure clad in white walked alongside Alger, a large headpiece crowned with the Zora Sapphire reached his shoulder – she was a short holy woman. Looking at the jewel, she thought of Naru; had they confiscated it from her? She gripped the armrest of her chair in concern.

A thin veil covered her face, blue silks and intricately designed robes far too big for her body slumped tiredly on her form.

"Mother Lanayru of the College of Nayru." Alger introduced, "Her Royal Highness, Crown Princess Zelda of Hyrule."

" It is a pleasure to meet the newest leader of the College. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated dealing with council affairs and bringing forth a renaissance age akin to my grandmother's Golden Era." Zelda smiled in a friendly manner.

The female reached up with small scarred hands and removed the veil with a humph. "I still have no idea what you're saying." Naru laughed with a toothy grin.

Zelda couldn't stop the squeal of surprise from escaping. "Little one!" She ran over to embrace the child, holding her head and coating her face in worried kisses like a mother dog would her pups. Naru giggled, taken aback at first by the outward expressiveness of the princess, but hugged her back. "I should have figured you would be elected as Mother. Have you come for my coronation?"

Naru's eyes twinkled sadly, "I have an important message for you Princess."

Butterflies flew inside her as she stood up from their hug and sat back into her seat inside the garden. Link looked sour. She asked, "What is it."

"The Gods have requested you–"

Link jumped up with a low snarl, "The Princess doesn't need this stress before her coronation _child_!"

Naru jolted back in fear as Link approached her menacingly. Confused, Zelda bolted to stand between the siblings, pushing him away as Naru cowered behind her. "What has gotten into you?!" Zelda shouted, Naru running off before she had time to check on her.

"You shouldn't be stressed–"

"And that justifies verbally attacking a child, let alone your little sister?" Her face contorted in dumbfounded disgust.

He dorned puppy dog eyes. "It's not by blood, don't be mad with me."

A wave of lucidity smacked her across the face, awakening an inner skepticism that powered her words as she pointed an accusing finger at him. "You have been acting very strange recently, _darling._ I do not believe I have ever heard you speak so much in my life, nor listened to you yell at a child."

His face darkened along with the sky, and rain drops trinkled from the clouds above. It seemed to wash away all her anger and leave her in a stupor as it covered the rose bushes in watery jewels. She stepped to the edge of the awning and held her hand out, enjoying the cool on her recently heated skin. Why was it hot again?

…

 _A mouth full of water speaks garbled tongues – three voices whispering distantly into her ear. What did they say?_

 _..._

"What do you think, purple or pink?" Zelda held up the fabrics with a frown, unable to decide.

"Purple, of course," Link leaned back in his seat leisurely.

She smacked his knee, "Sit correctly." The Princess set the rosy sample down and handed the other to the decorator. Pink was her grandmother's color, he was right to suggest the purple. She was going to be her own legacy.

"Purple banners – excellent choice Your Majesty," The decorator bowed her head and scurried away. Princess Zelda let loose a tired "ugh", plopping onto her bed and pressing her palms into her eyes.

"Problem, Precious?" Link placed his chin on the back of his hand with a flirtatious smirk.

There was. With the days feeling shorter and shorter, and her nights filled with odd dreams of a voice she can't understand, she was growing tired. "My coronation is so close," she tried to laugh away the nerves, "It just feels like a dream. Too good to be true."

He got out of his seat and sat at her feet, touching her knees with a winning smile. He laughed, "What, do you have cherophobia too?"

It was meant to be a joke, but it felt awfully offensive. She pouted, "I do not appreciate your tone."

He gripped her leg as her words incensed him. His long locks hid his eyes just as a smile played his features, before exhaling, "How about I make it up to you? Let's go into town, visit Telma and the others."

She felt like a grumpy child being satisfied with lollipops and sweets, but somehow it worked. She smiled, patting his hand before chirping, "Excellent idea!"

...

The guards gingerly allowed her to venture through the city with Link as an escort – they feared for her safety so close to the coronation, but her knight flamboyantly assured he would protect her. On the other side of the wooden gate was a picturesque cityscape, the kind you would see depicted in great paintings, with human figures blended to match the foreground as if they were buildings themselves. Vendors littered the streets like blush rose petals carried by the breeze, children eagerly purchasing treats with their mothers for the upcoming festivities. Artists and musicians practiced their craft with her image in mind; they cried, "Our muse!" when noticing her presence.

This caused the community to cease what they were doing and stare, all wearing a smile you would show your idol. They began to applaud, and her mouth opened in surprise. Some blew kisses and others threw their palms up in praise.

"Blessed Princess!" They resounded, "She is our Hero!"

She blushed, unsure how to respond to such overflowing adoration. Her hand raised in thanks, but their love just poured harder. "Thank you, but we as a people are what drove away darkness." Zelda proclaimed, and they only cheered louder.

"You're a natural!" Link smiled, pinching her arm softly, "Stay here, I have something for you." He ran into the crowd, leaving her to fend off the overly affectionate citizens by herself. Luckily, their interest in her diminished the moment he left, so she looked around in peace. There were multiple roads that led to the town square, and those roads had their own labyrinth-like trails throughout the city. She was lucky to have not gotten lost that night she searched for Telma's bar, the alleys can be dangerous territories.

A certain shopfront caught her eye; a familiar man-child face hung on banners with her image beside it. She cringed – was Malo selling merchandise with her face on it? Very strange, but what was stranger was the feeling of being watched that crawled up her spine – very strange indeed. A pair of eyes bore into her back, and without being too obvious, she scanned the area. Vacant orbs, all the citizens seemed to walk blindly and without attention, so she started pretending to look up at the clouds to mask her checking the rooftops. No assassin there.

"Psst."

 _Danger._

Princess Zelda pretended she didn't hear the noise.

"Psst!"

It was at three o'clock, someone was hiding in the alley, she could see them move in her peripheral.

"Princess!" A child loudly whispered in irritation.

She slowly turned and squinted as the figure motioned her over, hands small and covered with a birthmark. "Naru?" she hesitated, "Is that you?"

"Hurry, before he comes back!" The child priestess motioned vigorously. Zelda followed her instructions and walked into the shadowy hallway apprehensively. Naru, her worried face now clear, hugged Zelda tightly around the waist and nuzzled her face into the Princess's stomach.

"Oh little one, why the secrecy? Do not tell me your big brother frightened you? He is only stressed, please do not take his barking seriously." Princess Zelda petted the large headdress awkwardly.

Naru pulled away, expression serious and mature, she looked like a dream. "Princess," she began, "Big brother– Link, can't know we're talking right now."

Zelda tilted her head. "I do not understand."

"He doesn't want me to tell you this, but you need to know the truth." She grabbed at Zelda's skirts like a frightened child when she noticed the Princess began to back away. Zelda looked at the girl wearily, and Naru frowned. "I have a message...from the Gods."

The Princess stood up straighter, expression freezing over as she held her breath. She closed her eyes and braced for the worst. "Go on," Zelda nudged.

"They're...unhappy," Naru scratched her head, blue orbs overflowing with gravity. "They want a sacrifice."

Anger struck the Princess, "That is not funny little one–"

"It's not a joke!" The child cried, face red and uncomfortable, "They need a sacrifice because...well, because Link was wrong! He didn't stop anything, and without blood the Gods cannot intervene."

The Princess threw her hands up in confusion, momentarily shielding herself away from the supposed truth thrown into her face. She paced within the darkness as she pushed away the accusations blooming in her mind. Naru was not an oracle, why would she lie? But this was too extreme, never had the Gods requested such a grave price. Her frustration manifested itself into twitching fingers as she tried to remain calm.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

Naru nodded.

A commotion within the town square caught their attention – it frightened Naru so much she appeared ready to hide within the barrels. She begged the Princess, "Meet me in the Castle tonight. We can talk more about it."

And like that, she was gone like morning mist, without a trace. Somehow, she had just disappeared, and Zelda didn't know whether to be afraid or impressed? She continued to stare at the place Naru once stood with an upset stomach, mouth pinching shut. If she had a choice, she would have stayed in the alley a little longer to contemplate the situation, but a voice in the crowd beckoned her.

"Zelda darling!" Link cried out, and upon seeing her approach, he stiffened. Maybe it was the harshness in her eyes to help conceal her emotions, or something more. Nonetheless she stayed stoic and hid any indication of discomfort. He was saying something, but she wasn't listening. A crowd was gathering, but she was uncaring of their looks.

Why would the Gods need blood spilt? And why did Naru need to bring it to her attention so urgently? Should she even visit her tonight? Link dropped to his knee.

"Princess?"

"Yes?" she hummed, finally aware that he was speaking to her.

He smiled, "Will you marry me?"

…

Dinner service was a blur. She couldn't remember a single thing, she was so distracted! Laying on her bed, she swooned over the ruby red rose between her fingertips, smelling its fragrance until the color left its petals. She exhaled contently and sang to herself softly, drugged by the ecstacy of love. The wedding would be after her coronation tomorrow – Prince Consort Link, oh how it rang like church bells!

She giggled like a school girl, vaguely recalling the shock and congrats given when she accepted his proposal. Her heart swelled lovingly in her chest, body warm as if it were wrapped in a fluffy blanket. Zelda couldn't be happier, life was going her way! A breathy laughter slipped out as she blushed at the memory of how sweet he was in his delivery, and hugged her flower closer.

Without realizing, she stood up and danced around her room like a pixie, awkward and without any real form, but free. This was how life was meant to be, this was the destiny she forged for herself!

She imagined what her coronation dress would look like, practiced how she would act and curtsy before breaking character and skipping about. This much happiness was frightening really; she had never felt such extreme joy.

"Thank you Hylia!" She exalted.

There was a tap at her window and the Princess ceased her celebration. Her heart sank.

Slowly inching toward the glass, she saw a soft periwinkle blue twinkle from the otherside, and she sighed with relief. It was only a fairy. Still powered by love, she immediately let the poor creature in, shivering as a cold breeze snuck in with it. She closed the window, and the fairy chimed happily. This was oddly familiar.

It flew in her direction, circling her body and hovering in front of her face as if to grab her attention.

"Are you attempting to communicate?" She pondered aloud.

It zoomed toward her door and rammed right into the wood, falling to the floor with a loud _tat!_ Zelda gasped, rushing over to pick the poor thing up. It bounced back into the air before she could touch it, running into the door again.

"I apologise sacred creature, but my beloved requests I do not leave this room before my coronation. We lit our candle, and if I leave, I may be accused of tampering."

The fairy paused – then ran into the door five more times after that.

Zelda winced at the sad twinkles it made and the thumps that came before it. She sighed, opening the door so it could exit her chambers, and it eagerly did so. She watched as its celeste glow descended the stairs, ready to call it a night when – _THUMP!_

She grimaced, listening to it once again run into a door time and time again. That stupid little thing was going to kill itself. "Alright, wait." She called to it, throwing her black cloak over her white nightgown and grabbing her bedside candle. Her rose waited daintily for her return.

Quickly, the Princess ran down to open the door to the hallway, and tried to keep up with the fairy that only rammed into the next obstacle. She followed it through dark corridors and moonlit parlors – where were the guards? It took her up to the throne room, a stormy night sky overhead. The fairy buzzed past her ear, beckoning her up the steps. She paused to look at the Hyrule below her, it was beginning to rot with yellow grass and dried rivers. It wasn't like that before, arid and suffocating. She swore it was lush and green when she awoke from her injuries.

"Princess." A soft voice sadly greeted.

Zelda turned to see Naru at the entrance of the throne room, fairy resting peacefully atop her head. She was wearing her regular hand-me-down clothes rather than white garbs, and refused to look her in the eye. The monarch approached her in dubiety, concerned with the look the child wore.

"Little one?" Her words caught in her throat when she saw the effigy that stood above the throne. The Golden Goddesses were crumbling again, faces chipping and stone stained. The Triforce was cracked down the middle, and graffiti dirtied it. Princess Zelda covered her mouth as she felt disgusted and wished to scream at whoever did such a horrible thing.

"A person didn't do it," Naru assured, "The Gods did."

"Why?" Zelda shook her head in disbelief.

"It's symbolic of the state of the spirit world. It's chaos caused by their displeasure. They wish a payment for their services." She pointed to the center of the room.

It was a large saucer filled with water, a sharp ceremonial blade beside it. Zelda tried to keep her dinner down. "Who or what must be sacrificed?"

Naru bit her lip to keep the sadness from consuming her. "A woman."

Zelda shivered at the interpretation of the word, and the way Naru looked up at her with steamy eyes. She shook her head no, unwilling to do something as stupid as kill herself now, not when everything was so good. She bargained, "We have the Virgins, they are prepared for this kind of rite."

Naru appeared shocked and nervous, but why would she feel that way? "No Princess. It has be someone with goddess blood."

She wanted to run away, falling to her knees and gripping her chest as reality punched her square across the face. Self-sacrifice was the Zelda way, but now that everything was going so well, was she really willing to do it? Link's face flashed across her mind and she almost cried, not sure what to do. "I-I can not...This is unfair!"

Naru's face reddened with anger – what right did a child have to be angry when it was her life being wiped away! What happened to empathy and compassion! The child ran to the saucer and took the knife, holding it up to her face as tears streamed down her round cheeks. To see her cry, that hurt so much more than the pain of loss.

Naru sniveled, "I-It has to be one of us. And if it's not you, then me or Fuana have to do it."

Without thinking, Zelda snatched the blade away from her small hands and threw it down, grabbing Naru and pulling her close, hugging the girl as she cried. She had a strong sense of duty, Zelda taught her that, but this was injustice. "Never." Zelda soothed, swallowing the hard lump in her throat as she imagined the life Naru needed to live. "I made a promise to your big brother that you would not be harmed." Zelda began to cry as she noticed she would never be with him.

"I-it's going to be okay," Naru tried to say, making Zelda smile.

"Look at me," She instructed, "I need you to be a good girl and do this for me, okay?"

Naru nodded.

"When this is done...Tell everyone why, and that I am sorry. Never stop doing what you believe is just and good in this world, and tell Link...that I shall see him later." She shuddered with fear.

Naru grabbed her face and muttered, "You will!"

Zelda went to sit before the saucer filled with clear water. Taking the blade and a piece of her long brown hair, she sliced the strands until they were short and curled. She did this to all her beautiful locks as they became choppy and sparse – an ancient act to mark one's initiation into slavery – she was a slave to the God's destiny. Her neck, bare and cold, made her feel naked and ugly as she stared at herself in the rippling reflection. Her hair, the hair of a free man, was scattered around her. This was not Zelda, this was a nightmare.

Naru grabbed the saucer and doused the woman, leaving her cold and clean. This was it. This was what she was born to do, die for her people alone, a victim of a cruel fate. She would never marry the love of her life, never become what she wanted – but Naru could. Naru and Fuana and all the children of Hyrule would be able to grow and live a life she yearned for. Was that enough?

She let one last tear fall, but did not whimper or scream. She would be strong and courageous, her decision was wise and showed true heroics. She only prayed Link would forgive her.

Without hesitation, she rose the dagger up before her in prayer – the image of a beautiful Juliet – and drove the blade into her chest until her hands touched her collar bone. And...it felt like nothing.

No pain, no agony. All she could feel was the blood dripping out of her and mixing with the holy water. Was her heart stopping? Yeah, she thought so. Her vision freckled, and she fell over onto her side, bleeding out. A figure was walking up to her, it was Link.

She was too tired to feel sad as he looked at her in disgust and annoyance, his eyes a deep ebony black as he watched her die. Why did he look at her like that? Before everything went dark, she saw a flash of red sand, and an obscured girl who danced like fire.

 _Please wake up._

* * *

 **Imagine if I just ended the story like this cx**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **Yuyake no Okami, shinshinjane, TheLampOfHyrule, Jpeepers, dragonbane522, AzHazANewName1, Cbtgirl, Ultimate blazer, Guest, kansa**

 **Thank you all my lovelies for giving this story almost 100 followers! Ultimate blazer, things have only gotten stranger darling ;). Guest, I hope your trip was safe and fun! Jpeepers and kansa thank you for leaving a review!**

**Here's a little fun question to think about. If you were in Zelda's situation, put it a place where all your dreams seemed to come true, would you still take a bullet for others? Desire or duty; It'd love to hear your thoughts.**

 **My editor, who can turn mud into gold: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Please R &R any and all comments, concerns, theories, interpretations, etc! Summer is almost over, and school is peeking out from behind the closet I locked it in. Hope you all had a fun vacation, and continue to do so until school starts! Stay hydrated, and don't forget to tell your loved ones you care!**

 **See ya!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Thank you to my 100 lovelies who follow this story!**

* * *

 _Please wake up._

...

After years of studying under the most renowned language professors and poets across the Kingdom, the best way she could articulate her feelings in this moment was with a simple "ouch". Every slow breath left her choking in pain, her eyelids scrunching tighter at the deep ache erupting from her belly. Her limbs felt stiff like rusty machinery, hurting as she tried to move. Her mouth, parched and clenched, tasted like old food and metal. She opened up to cry out in agony, but was so sore, all she could do was exhale vehemently.

She opened her tired eyes sluggishly, vision turbid and sensitive to the light that hung on the ceiling. She squinted, blinking a few times before attempting to wiggle her toes, and then her fingers. Something heavy was beside her – on both sides, actually – and with a deep breath, she turned her head to the right.

Naru slept next to her, arms slung over her chest as she cuddled her arm. Her thick blue brows furrowed in rough slumber as she whimpered and gripped tighter. It hurt, but Zelda endured. This was her room in Kakariko, so were her memories of joy just a dream?

To her left, she felt a hand over her own, and twisting her head the other way, she saw Link was sitting in a chair next to the bed – forehead on his arms as his fingers wrapped around her own. He was snoring lightly, but the part of his face that was visible showed a very short beard growing on his chin and jaw. Even asleep he looked tired, and she wondered how long she'd been out. He smelled of freshly cut grass, and Naru of sweet treats and dirt.

It was coming back now, the whole battle with Dark, her incarceration, the mind games – her second time being mortally injured? – this isn't making sense. The door opened as she was mid-thought, and Zelda looked to see who was entering, her eyes being the only things she could move with total ease. Fuana carried a tray with various foods and bottles, a constant frown making her regularly scared face look even more pitiful.

Their eyes met, and she dropped everything.

"Sh-sh-sh–" Her stutter flared, "She's awake!" Charging, the floral girl jumped onto the bed and hugged the Princess; Link and Naru jolted awake immediately. Fuana cried and squeezed tight, pulling away when she noticed the pain Zelda was in. Link, being pushed away by the child, stood up and stared at her, looking for a glimmer of recognition she willingly gave him. He grinned from ear to ear but didn't say anything, worshiping the Gods instead with his eyes and arms.

"Shaman Renado!" He called out, running out into the Inn.

Fuana went to gather up what she had dropped, placing it on her desk and preparing what she assumed was medicine. "T-This means it worked." She mumbled, just as Naru figured out basic speech.

"Princess," She said, taking Zelda's long beautiful brown hair in between her fingertips. Tears spilled from her glossy eyes, "I-I told you it was going to be okay."

Princess Zelda looked between the knowing girls in confusion, licking her cracked lips but still struggling to speak. Fuana intervened, "Y-Your throat must be very dry. L-Link will get some water I'm su-sure."

She had questions, and the girls knew it, so they answered.

"Y-You have been in a coma for three days," Fuana began cleaning her glasses, "But were missing for around three weeks."

 _Damn,_ she cursed. Time was truly slipping away from her in that hell.

Naru continued, "You got really hurt after Big Brother found you. The shadow used some kind of magic to trap you inside a dreamscape."

Fuana pointed to the thickly bandaged tissue just below the Princess's ribcage. "You were lucky he didn't hit any organs or ar-arteries or else you'd be dead by now."

Naru stressed, "That place – it was everything you wanted huh? Like candy for breakfast or your favorite dress? That was the point, right sis?"

Fuana nodded, "T-The objective of that kind of magic is to keep you distracted and content. That way you don't want to leave, thus n-never wake up."

Zelda's brows twisted, how could they have figured this out on their own?

The blue child nervously laughed, "Now don't get mad–"

 _What did you do,_ Zelda threatened with her eyes.

Fuana looked away awkwardly, "I-I tried to tell her no. I-I kept saying, P-Princess Z-Zelda wouldn't like that, but she doesn't listen."

"Liar!" Naru snapped, and Fuana began her rebuttal until they were both fighting over who was holier than the other. Zelda grunted for them to quit their bickering, and they simmered down. The child pouted, " _Fuana_ and _I_ know it's dangerous, but we had no choice! I...traveledyourmind!"

"What!" Zelda shouted, jolting up and then howling in pain as her body burned. The girls panicked, easing her back down into the bed and fanning her face. The Princess winced, furrowing her brows at them both as she spoke, "Who told you of this magic? Was it King Daphnes?"

The girls glanced at one another, unsure what to say or do. Zelda squinted at them and began to count like her grandmother would, "You have three seconds."

Naru tried to hide but Zelda sternly wagged a finger in her direction. The child sighed, "It was...Big Brother."

Just as her gut crashed into the floor the door opened. Link entered, this time with a jug of water, and the girls looked away in guilt. Zelda, although beyond exuberant to see him, couldn't help but stare painfully in his direction. He knew that magic was dangerous, she thought he understood why she refused for them to attempt it in the first place, yet he suggested it to them. If it was Daphnes, these feelings of anger and hurt would feel much more validated, but to experience this with him was strange.

He frowned, and Naru jumped off the bed with Fuana following behind her as they rushed to exit. Link set the water down at her bedside and sat down, understanding why she stared so horrifically at him. She began shaking her head at him, lost as to why he would inform the children of such a treacherous spell. He looked exhausted, almost old and melancholy, but cautious. He reached up to touch her face, and she flinched initially. He paused but didn't stop, caressing her gently to erase the fear of hands and leaning down to place his forehead on her own. His hair tickled her cheeks and she choked on the air that radiated with his warmth. The apples of her cheeks cooled with the small tears that dripped from his eyes as he pulled away, begging for forgiveness.

She read his energy, his depressed orbs explained his reasonings. She wasn't waking up when they brought her here, and when Dark let them escape so easily, he knew something was wrong. It was his only option to hear her voice again. "They taught themselves," he forced a laugh, "They're good...Like you."

She struggled to bring her slender arm up to touch his chest and feel the beating heart behind it. He placed his hand upon it, and with the other, rubbed her hair as he tried to smile between thankful sobs. "No more self sacrifice, okay? If anyone's going down, it's gonna be me."

He meant it as a joke, but it still frightened her. She turned to dip her fingers into the water jug and hissed in pain. Link helped her to sit up as he brought it forth, taking an empty bottle and filling it for her. She gulped it down gladly, the cool liquid bringing her back to life as she exhaled spiritually. Looking at her reflection, she frowned at how ugly she appeared, sickly thin and muted, her features made of harsh lines more than organic curves, like a child's art piece.

"I am hideous," she frowned, "He made me hideous."

Link took the bottle away from her and shook his head, pressing his lips against hers softly, beard stubble tickling her nose. "You are malnourished," He stated to try and build her spirits up – it was a temporary state, "But at least you don't have this." He pointed to his face.

She scratched his chin and laughed, "Beards do not fit you, my love."

He attempted to braid it but it was still too short. He grabbed her long locks and placed them beneath her face. He frowned jokingly, "No fair, it looks beautiful on you!"

She chuckled, wincing as her stomach burned. Touching just beneath her ribcage, she felt a throbbing from her heart, and the tightness of a healing wound. It would probably scar here as well. The Princess threw her head back on the bed frame and sighed, memories flooding back.

"That place was hell," She explained, nervous that in trusting him with information he would be hurt, but she promised this transparency. "He was cruel and humiliated me. But I know much more now," She turned to face Link, "His weakness."

Link leaned in, taking her hand in his own. She talked about entering his mind, and the Queen she saw. The Hero modeled faces of awe and confusion as she explained it in haunting detail. When she spoke of how he physically assaulted her, Link tensed up, almost causing the story to come to an end, but she pushed herself to continue. "My light was being sucked out of me. I forgot about you," She covered her eyes with her forearm, "I forgot about all of you!"

He hugged her, trying to make her relax but she was so angry with herself! And to think she so willingly accepted that world of dreams, so obviously fake, without question! She would have lived happily in that world, a world without pain or struggle, because deep down that's what she wanted! The honor and glory of a Hero without the labor and loss.

He soothed her, but his pets awoke the image of dark eyes stained with tears. Zelda gripped onto him harder. "The Queen...she is the voice in my head…"

"Hm?" Link inquired.

"She is the one who gives me terrible thoughts and whispered commands within the castle." The Princess froze.

He disagreed, albeit not completely understanding the levity of this knowledge, and advised, "She's not you – reject her."

 _If only you knew what she wished for me to do to you, my love; would you still stay so near?_ She brooded to herself.

"I am so sorry for dragging you into this mess…" She weeped.

Link kissed her trembling lips again and smiled, making sure she knew she did nothing wrong. He would level mountains to be with her, and fight till his last breath if that meant she would be safe. She enjoyed his touch, the heat and comfort it radiated as if his skin was a thick fluffy coat. It soothed her enough for her to regain her composure.

"I did learn this, though," She thought aloud, "I believe I know where the next goddess is."

…

Link made sure she didn't move too much, nor over exert herself, but she was becoming impatient. Shaman Renado was supposed to come in after she woke up, but it had been four hours with no sign of his arrival. Link tried to keep her preoccupied by bringing her soft foods and telling stories of his youth, such as the first time Rusl pierced his ears, and life herding goats. He had gone out to shave earlier, and his face was smooth once more just as she remembered him.

As much as she wished to give her information to the Council, Link advised she stay in bed a little longer and regain her strength. She was moving and bending her limbs a lot easier now, but she felt so antsy. There were lots of loud noises outside her room, strange noises that came with waves of unease that Link promptly ignored. But even if he acted as if he didn't hear it, she knew it bothered him by the way his face reddened and eyes flicked over to the entrance.

Eventually, he couldn't deny it any longer. The heavy stomps of booted feet shook the floor, up until they reached the closed door. A deep voice whispered, "She will be in pain!"

An aged man argued, "Which is exactly why this ethnobotany medicine is a waste of time!" It was Shaman Renado and Doctor Borville. They continued to bicker.

"Of course, and that's why we'll risk addiction using your concoctions!" Sarcasm dripped from the mystic's voice.

"That's only happened twice before in my clinic Shaman, need I remind you how often you've mistaken one plant for another!"

Princess Zelda jolted up in concern, requesting Link help her stand. He complied with an apprehensive expression.

The Shaman raised his voice, "You know she has an addictive personality!"

Zelda paused, her face white at the accusation of being that type. She looked at Link with an offended frown and shoved to move to the door, her body screaming in pain as she did so.

"A Princess does not need primitive healing when she has the best!" The Doctor hissed.

"Oh really? But a Zora Prince doesn't?"

The Doctor growled, "What are you implying."

"You could have treated Prince Ralis, but your prejudice refused to give him the care he needed so you threw him to me!" Shaman Renado spat.

"How dare you accuse me of malpractice, human!

"By the Gods, all you Hylians are the same; rude and inconsiderate–"

They stopped just as Zelda opened the door. The two men looked at her in utter horror and embarrassment, both turning away in shame, especially the Shaman. She glared at them in disappointment of their attitudes and statements, but made no remarks acknowledging them. Their shamefaced demeanors were enough of an indicator that they understood their wrongs. Link rushed to throw a blanket over her, as she was just in bandages and a night gown, and she wrapped it around herself.

"Your Highness, I–" The Shaman wanted to apologize, but her cold eyes made him freeze.

"Where is Luda," She questioned sternly.

"Helping the Eldin Virgins with their crops," He coughed.

Zelda looked at the doctor, "And Fuana?"

The doctor licked his dentures as he conjured up speech. "Possibly dealing with the little Ordon girl."

She glanced between them both and closed her eyes. "Send the three girls to me as soon as possible. They are bright, and should be able to devise a healthy blend of both treatments."

They both nodded, "Yes Your Highness."

"Shaman Renado, please inform Council Nohansen that I shall be calling a meeting sometime tomorrow. You may leave." She shut the door with a slam.

Link jumped to help carry her back to her bed. The monarch was already winded by the movement. She groaned, "What in Hylia's good name has gotten into them? I have never seen such unprofessional behavior."

Link rubbed his arms, "It's been a rough few weeks."

 _Knock knock._

"Come in," She allowed.

Link made for the door as King Daphnes appeared, his wrinkled face pale like bed sheets. Zelda held her hand out for Link to stop, but he refused. His smile assured she would be fine, placing importance on this budding conference. He and the King exchanged polite glances for the first time.

She squinted at her father, wondering what deal he arranged to make Link regard him so warmly. The dream of him relinquishing his crown flooded her mind, drying away into the image of the King's flinty stare. Zelda sat up straighter, leaning up against the headrest as her belly ached.

"Princess Zelda–"

"If you are here to insult me, I must ask you refrain," She interrupted with a groan of pain.

King Daphnes looked away, scratching the hairs beneath his nose as he sighed, "I just wanted to say...I am glad to hear you are awake." She waited for him to continue, but he didn't. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought against it; the softness that flickered within his eyes dulled. Her lack of response caused him to pull away, and shaking his head he spat, "We expect you to be up in the next few days."

She frowned.

 _Bang!_

"Hylia!" Zelda shouted, "What is all that noise coming from? I have heard bangs and booms for hours!"

The King paled, "I don't hear them."

She didn't believe him – he rushed to exit the room. That was uncomfortable and awkward, like being forced to speak to a relative you hadn't seen in years. She wondered what his true intentions were – what he really wanted to say to her. The princess regretted shutting him down so early, but so is life.

…

Luda and Fuana kept the princess on a strict recovery system consisting of a well-calculated blend of natural remedies and pharmaceuticals. The two girls worked together nicely, unlike their mentors, and with Naru acting as mini-nurse, the visits were eventful and fun. Many ointments were lathered over the pink wound on her belly stitched together like a toy. They made sure her meals were easily digestible and nutritious, but she didn't have much of an appetite.

According to Luda, only a select few were authorized to visit her – the reason for such limitations were unknown. Link was one of the people on that list, although he didn't bring much solace either. Loud noises still sounded outside her room; noises that caused discomfort even if you didn't understand their origins. Like hearing your parents' muffled arguing in the other room.

He spent the next few days by her side like a service dog, acting as her crutch during her physical therapy. He was sweet and attentive, if not mentally preoccupied. They all were, really. Everyone she came across seemed to be pulling back, hiding something away from her.

She'd already spent days trapped in the dark by a narcissistic maniac; she was sick of the secrets. Her recovery was going well, but the more her health increased, the more morale seemed to decrease. When Impaz was finally able to visit, about two weeks into her return, she gifted Zelda freshly sown skirts.

"I assumed you ripped them in battle," The little Sheikah woman sighed, "But you loved them so much I couldn't throw them away."

Zelda smiled, "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" She began to caress the tabby kitten that mewed in her arms. "No more nightmares?"

The Princess clenched her teeth and shook her head no. It was a lie; the memories of what happened in the castle haunted her every night, but to say so would cause the old Impaz to worry. Link came in with a serious expression, and Impaz seemed to hum in understanding. The ancient woman left with a gentle farewell, the knight greeting her just as warmly.

"Yes?" Zelda inquired as he seemed nervous.

"Hm? Oh, uh, they're starting the meeting soon." He bumped into a stool trying to reach her.

She raised a brow. "Right...Is there something you wish to tell–"

He grabbed her face and placed a lingering kiss against her lips, savoring their taste. When he pulled away, she was left dazed and confused at the fearful look in his eyes. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair and he divulged, "You're going to be confused. But we'll explain soon, okay?"

"What–"

"Just trust me." His mouth hardened.

She stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Alright. But I want the girls with us."

He agreed to her terms, and he draped her arm over his shoulders to help her up.

…

The Inn lobby was vacant and dirty from misuse and neglect. At the top of the stairs, she was without words, looking down at the empty mess that struck her as odd. The bangs were back, and she could pinpoint that they were coming from the outside; voices mixed into the concoction of sound that muddled her mind. Slowly, they descended the stairs, the noises now identifiable as arguing and chants. Zelda looked to Link for answers, but he shamefully avoided her stare, acting as if he was too preoccupied aiding her down the wooden steps.

A crash erupted from outside, and her face went white, the growing anxiety crawling up her veins. The bar was empty, children's room door wide open and disheveled. He gripped the door handle before glancing back at Zelda – she knew that twinkle was an apology.

Heat from an abusive sun sucked the air out of her lungs as she was exposed to the outside world, open to a home she missed dearly – yet it didn't seem to care for her. People were gathered outside, a mob made of grumpy humans thrashing and causing a ruckus. She gasped at the sight of figures laying in the streets, battered and bruised – both Hylian and human alike treated so poorly. Guards were keeping them at bay as they appeared to be trying to force their way into the Sanctuary, screaming things like "conspiracy" and "tyrant".

She watched them, hurt and confused by what they meant. The wounded looked away from her, but she insisted Link take her to them. Wearily he did so, and upon further investigation, she noted a few were once members of the nobility, now stripped of their gold and sashes. They refused to speak, and just as she prepared to convince them confiding in her was wise, the mob noticed her presence.

"There she is!" An older woman cried, herding their attention to the recovering Princess. Their eyes pierced daggers into her heart as rage and distrust overflowed from their irises.

"What is the meaning of this?" She asked them as they marched defiantly to her.

"Puppet Princess!" One man shouted, just as another chimed, "If it weren't for you and your father we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Down with King Daphnes!"

"Down with his proxy!"

They cheered in agreement, and Zelda became faint and disoriented. She muttered in horror, "I do not understand."

A young man stepped forward, hair tousled and skin burnt from the harsh sun. He pointed an accusing finger at her and spat, "Your father banned our weapons, which is why we couldn't fight back when those shadows attacked our homes and killed our families!"

Zelda cursed to herself, trying to remain calm despite the world crumbling around her. Her rapport with the people of Hyrule appeared wounded and faint, and there was nothing she could have done about it. They wouldn't believe her if she told them she fought her father on the decree, because the damage was already done. She compromised by asking, "What has happened to these people whom lay wounded in the streets."

An elderly lady spat on the ground obnoxiously. "Dirty Daphnes' sympathizers."

"That is not true," A teenage girl added from the safety of her window, "Your Highness, these bullies beat anyone who doesn't agree with them. Those people refused to riot, that is their crime in the eyes of the mob!"

"Shut up wench!" A boy from the mob insulted.

"I'm not afraid of you!" She threw a bucket of liquid in their direction, and the mob gasped in disgust. The guards stepped in just as the throng was beginning to march toward the girl's home, keeping minor order.

Princess Zelda's gut twisted in disgust at her people's behavior, she knew they were better than this! They were reminiscent of the world of shadows, the way its citizens beat and attacked one another as part of an everyday greeting. She held her hands out to them, a symbol of vulnerability and openness as she assured, "Please, allow me to help you and hear these pleas. There is no need for violence and–"

Link jumped in front of her, raising his shield up above her head as a red tomato slid down its shiny surface. _They are throwing...food at_ _ **me**_ _,_ she winced to herself as garbage was flung in her direction. He was telling her to move as he kept the spoiled vegetables from soiling her dress and face.

She was without words, dumbstruck, brokenhearted like a mother who heard her child say, 'I hate you.' She was loved by the people, they made wishes at the fountain for her, she thought she was doing so well – more splats.

"Do you want to know how you can help us–" A young boy approached her from the crowd, tears stuck to his face as he gripped rotten cabbage in his small hand. He blubbered, "You can find out why humans are going missing."

…

Incessant arguing overstimulated her senses as she entered the Sanctuary. Link shut the door behind her and placed a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, wrapping his arms around her waist and rubbing the small of her back. Someone then pushed him out of the way, shouting, "Princess!"

Ilia hugged her tightly before pulling away and checking for any damage. She was the brightest thing in the room, her blonde locks neat and clean, and green orbs the memory of spring. Unlike everyone else, she appeared full of life and carefree. It was ignorance that allowed her to stay so relaxed while everyone else was falling apart at the seams.

"Are you here to partake in the meeting?" Zelda asked.

She shook her head, "I wanted to see you, make sure you were okay. I don't–"

"–Like to be in charge of the lives of others, I know." The Princess smiled to assure she was merely curious, not judgmental.

She grinned back. "We were afraid you would never wake up...Those girls work miracles." Zelda primmed, but Ilia didn't seem to notice. "We've really needed you these past few days. Things are really falling apart here."

The Princess crossed her arms and inquired, "Is their behavior recurring? That mob, I mean."

Ilia bit her cheek. "It's been on and off. They get worked up, destroy things, and then go about as if nothing happened. Tension has been building, and is beginning to pop."

 _They had been looking at me oddly for a while now_ , she thought to herself. How stupid could she have been, to not be more proactive in discovering what bothered them so! The Princess closed her eyes and sighed, "We shall discuss it today, thank you for your input."

Ilia bowed her head with a frown, moving to sit along the edges of the room and whittle another wooden figurine. The bickering in the area decreased, and Ashei approached, shrouded in melancholy. When their eyes met, Zelda suppressed a shiver – she looked barely alive, dark circles sunk into her face like a skeleton mask. Shad followed after her: and when she collapsed onto her hands and knees, he tried to pull her up, but she refused. She pushed her head into the hard ground and sibilated, "I did wrong against you Princess Zelda, I deserve just punishment."

The Princess stepped toward the vulnerable knight and wondered, "I know not of what you speak Lady Ashei."

The scars inflicted by ghosts strained her usually cool voice as she answered, "You were under my care when you went missing – you were my responsibility as Leader of the attack and I failed."

Zelda peered up at the room to see the Council's reaction. She analyzed their faces, all wearing varying expressions but with one constant – blame. They all blamed the other, never themselves, and Ashei as well as Link received the brunt of it. They were scapegoats. In the Council's eyes, her unexpected capture was on their hands – even Prince Ralis and Gor Coron scowled at the knights. Link and Ashei kept their heads low, but Zelda motioned for them to raise their eyes.

She shook her head and reached down to pull Ashei up, Link helping her. "Lady Ashei, I shall not pardon you for a crime you did not commit," Zelda emphasized.

Her brown eyes widened.

"The only person who is guilty is Viscount Osmar," She divulged with a dirty side glance. The Lord turned away with a huff, but the room did not erupt into the gasps she anticipated. The meek counselor Fane grabbed her attention by raising his hand and speaking, "We agreed he did what he deemed best in the high stress situation, Your Highness."

Mayor Bo hissed, "Speak for yourself."

"The oracle was too close to Your Royal Highness," Lord Osmar pleaded his case, "She could have attacked you."

Link slammed his hand on the table and growled, "You could have hit Zelda!"

Alger jumped in and jutted the point of his plume at the Hero. "She is Princess Zelda to you, churl!"

Ashei rushed in to knock the rude pen out of the courtier's hand and reminded, "The oracle surrendered, and he killed her anyways."

The room erupted once more into fits of nonsensical back and forths, where no one was listening. All they did was regurgitate their opinions without even considering the other, speaking louder as if it made their point even more valid. They were chaotic and messy, on edge like a chair teetering too far back but not yet falling; stuck in a repetitive loop of the jolt that makes your blood cold and heart ponder. Anxiety and uncertainty made them revert to a more animalistic state ruled by instinct more than reason, so they verbally devoured one another to try and survive.

It was hauntingly similar to the realm she hadn't known existed, but she saw now it was under her nose all this time. Even without hearing the Queen's voice, she knew this was the metaphoric example of an eclipse – when one's light is overshadowed with fear and the unknown, and darkness rules triumphantly.

Her ears tuned in to a very important phrase that leaves Lord Osmar's snarled lips, "Those hags are pathological liars, why would we trust her!"

"Deirdre." She said without thinking, tears pricking her eyes at the memory of the oracles mourning. The room ebbed into a hushed silence, almost forgetting the Princess was in the room to begin with. Their faces wondered what her statement meant, and with their attention on her rather than each other, she glided over to the table. "Her name was Deirdre," she clarified, sitting in her chair elegantly.

The Council then realized they were all standing, and respectively, they returned to their own seats. The Sanctuary door opened, Fuana and Naru awkwardly wobbling in and keeping Ilia company whilst the grownups spoke.

Princess Zelda gripped her skirts as the memory still played of the way they screamed in sadness, until the dread subsided. With a deep inhale, she reported, "My capture could not have been avoided with our available knowledge." They listened intently. "The shadow knew where we were because the girls were not by my side – I have reason to believe they are, unintentionally, cancelling out its reach and influence. That is why it sent the oracles to weed out our people, because it cannot step foot into the village with the girls staying here."

She could hear Naru and Fuana ignore Ilia's attempts to keep their attention.

Zelda went on, "He used some kind of illusion magic to make it seem like I was in a castle, while I was really held up in a cave shack, which is why Farore's winds couldn't detect me. I was summoning it to the castle when I was not there," She paused to look at the girls with a question, "How did you manage to find me?"

Naru waited for permission to speak from the other adults. "I heard you...uh, you woke me up one night, shouting for Nayru. Then I could see you again, in my dreams."

The Princess nodded her head in understanding. She continued, "I saw many things during my capture...I wish not to speak of most of them...But there is reason to believe we are dealing with much more than shadows and monsters, and I am convinced the last child is out there."

They thought it was hopeful thinking, she could see it in the way their eyes fell.

"When I was stabbed, the shadow placed me in a dream state. As I left my coma, I saw a vision of a desert, and feel that she must be somewhere with red sands."

"Red sands?" Gor Coron scratched the rock under his chin in thought. "There's nothing like that here in Eldin."

There was a ruckus outside again, and Rusl gathered up his weapon and called, "Earl Kemp, get your guards."

"Let us take a break while this is settled. When we return, this civil unrest must be confronted immediately." Princess Zelda stood, stretching as the Resistance ran out the door. She rubbed her temples to ease the stress, Link handing her a glass of cool water.

Ilia approached them nervously. "This is so stressful, I don't know how you do it."

Zelda took a hearty sip and sighed, "Someone has to." Something stronger would have been nice.

"You're doing great, it's like you never left," she smiled with a farewell, running to her beloved Elric.

Zelda turned to her other half, and rested her head against his shoulder. "I cannot believe they have let him go without any kind of punishment."

 _That's how it is sometimes,_ said the way he wrapped his arms around her and placed his chin atop her head.

She scowled, "It is unjust."

When the Resistance returned and assured that the situation had been handled, Council Nohansen returned to their seats. They were anticipating the next topic, uncomfortably shifting in their chairs to avoid her stare. "This civil unrest is a serious issue," she proclaimed matter-of-factly.

Shaman Renado crossed his clothed arms and tsked. "There's always been tension, but things only escalated when King Daphnes returned."

Zelda spared a glance for her father who made no reaction. He just stared absently at something in his lap, lost in thought. She thought it curious to hear him so silent, looking so vulnerable. Alger grew flushed and scribbled something away in his tome, squawking, "Now that is an unfair statement made only from speculation!"

"It doesn't matter when it happened," Mayor Bo threw his hands down with a bang, making Ilia and girls jump, "Arguing like we do will get us nowhere!"

The Ordonian woman appeared frightened by the outburst, but tried to distract the children as well as herself. The Princess continued, "Has there been any investigation into the strange disappearances?"

"Well...No, Your Highness." The Shaman frowned.

Earl Kemp added, "We looked into it for a while, but our guards reported no incident of foul play." He leaned back in his seat leisurely, without a care in the world.

Lord Osmar chimed in, "I think they're just growing fed up with the conditions and leaving – And good riddance if they're that weak willed."

His attitude upset her, and she made her disagreement known with the tone she took. "So we have just given up?" Zelda stated.

The room bloated with discomfort. Viscount Osmar attempted to mend the situation by explaining, "Not given up; there's just more important things to worry about."

"Like food reserves." Mentioned Elric.

"And security!" Counselor Fane practically jumped.

Auru even spoke, "Not to mention decoding that premonition of Yours, Your Highness."

"...What if I began my own search?" Zelda wondered.

The group scanned across the room and shrugged. Earl Kemp nodded, "I suppose that's no issue."

Lord Osmar; however, didn't seem too keen on the proposition. He shook his head and argued, "I don't think it's a good idea Your Highness, why not leave it up to our Captain of the Guard."

Ashei, after finally noticing he was talking about her, perked up and appeared indifferent. "We have enough things to focus on. I honestly wouldn't mind if the Princess attempted to solve the mystery. If anything, it's like you said Viscount, people are just leaving."

"Then if no one objects, I will lead my own search. Meeting adjourned."

…

Link caught up to her as she was leaving the Sanctuary, staying at her hip protectively. He gave everyone a side eye as the citizens of Hyrule went about their days as if the riots never happened. People looked her way, but Link blocked their view, his shield still dirtied by rotten food. Her stomach twisted at the memory.

"I have never done an investigation before. Where should we start?" She rubbed her chin and looked to him. He shrugged his shoulders just as an elderly woman passed. Princess Zelda approached her and called politely, "Excuse me, Madam."

The human female paused, but upon noticing the monarch's attention, she acted as if she was hard of hearing and ran off in a huff. Zelda's face scrunched in confusion. A group of teenagers headed their way, bubbling with youth and laughter. She touched Link's arm and whispered, "Could you speak to them? Maybe I am too intimidating."

He laughed at her comment and did as he was told, walking up to the teens only to be gaped timidly at, and ignored. He frowned, returning to the Princess awkwardly. "That was weird," Was all he said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Hey!"

The couple glanced back to see Ilia and Elric waving to them. The blonde woman was being nudged by her love softly to speak to them, and with a lion's courage, she announced , "We want to help you investigate the disappearances."

"Oh?" Zelda hummed, surprised by her vigor.

"It hits close to home," Elric explained, "and we'd rather help than just sit around."

"We could split up," Ilia offered, "Two teams asking questions."

Link made a disagreeing face at his childhood friend, thinking it would be too dangerous to have humans look into this if foul play was involved. But Zelda thought otherwise. "That is a wonderful idea," she stated without any rise in physical expression.

Elric and Ilia's faces jumped.

The Princess explained to her confused partner. "The villagers are not speaking to us, because they either do not trust Hylians, or are being told by the mob not to say a word. Ilia and Elric have something in common with them, they will speak to other humans."

Link nodded, even though he was apprehensive. Elric, determined and blooming with a personality Zelda never noticed before, gave jovial instructions. "Sir Link and I will take the left side of town, you ladies can take the right."

Their groups split, and Zelda pointed Ilia in the direction of the elderly woman in the market. She was purchasing a ceramic pot, hastily grabbing her rupees when she noticed the females approach. Her money fell to the floor during her panic, and the Ordonian woman happily picked up the currency and handed it back.

"Thank you young lady," she said with a raspy voice.

"My pleasure," Ilia beamed, "While I have you here, mind if I ask you some questions?"

The elder glared at the Princess as she replied, "Not with Her Highness present."

Zelda's heart winced.

"No disrespect," She continued, "But you've managed to piss a lot of people off Your Highness. If they knew I was talking to you, my family risks being hurt."

"Are you being threatened?" Princess Zelda made the mistake of asking. The woman straightened up and scurried off, the shopkeeper even closing down for the day uncomfortably.

Princess Zelda scowled in frustration. Ilia aspired to keep her spirits up by smiling optimistically, but it was futile. They headed for a mother and child who seemed to look at them, Zelda making sure to keep a reasonable distance this time.

Ilia greeted them and spoke with familiarity. They knew her from the festival, indebted from her charity of apples that they gave as treats to her children. "Mind if I ask you some questions?"

"Of course, what would you like to know?" The mother cleaned dirt from her child's nose.

"We're looking into the disappearances, what could you tell me about them?"

Her expression hardened, and she pushed her child to run off and play elsewhere. Ilia shivered, and Zelda saw a sliver of discomfort consume her. The woman's voice cracked as she held back tears, "At first it was a rumor, but more and more people just seemed to vanish. It happens when we're sleeping; one day they're there, the next they're not. Poof, gone."

Ilia's voice frowned, "Do you think it's possible people are just leaving?"

Tears pricked the woman's eyes that widened like the waxing moon, teeth barred angrily at words she treated like an insult. "My husband would never just leave us!" Her shoulders fell as she sobbed into her hands, and Ilia stepped back with shame. Princess Zelda stepped in, pulling Ilia back as the woman whipped up and pointed an aggressive finger. "It's a dirty Hylian doing it, I'm sure of it!"

Princess Zelda made no comment as Ilia stared in bewilderment at such a hateful statement. It didn't stop the woman from unloading her anger. "Don't pretend you care about us!"

"Now wait a minute–" Ilia wished to intervene but Zelda just herded her away, removing themselves from the situation. The Princess sighed as the energy seemed to die down, but Ilia only fumed harder. "How could you let them say that?!" She shouted, upset at how calmly Zelda carried herself. "You work so hard to protect them, and this is how they repay you? With distrust and hatred?"

"Please Ilia, no need to be offended on my behalf." The Princess held her shoulders and returned her to tranquility.

Ilia pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "It's just so awful...Why even lead if people will just hate you for it?" It hurt, but she didn't want her friend to worry so much. In that faux paradise, she was loved unconditionally by many people, yet she awoke from her dream only to find reality is the nightmare. They completely despised her, but Ilia was too innocent for such truths.

"It really is not as terrible as you think. That woman is very stressed, and with a missing husband, she is frightened. We cannot let their harsh words affect us."

Ilia's emerald eyes fogged and she looked up with a puzzled expression. "What were we doing again?"

Zelda held back a gasp as the woman looked at her absentmindedly, waiting for direction. The Princess bit the inside of her cheek, unsure what to do. The stress, it caused her to relapse, just as she complained it did. There were two options, she could tell her what happened and risk stressing her out again, or be thankful that she couldn't remember the mother's upsetting outbursts. "Nothing yet," she lied, "We were just about to begin interviewing residents about the disappearances."

Ilia grabbed her head as if it were too heavy. "Where's Elric?" Panic played behind her large eyes.

"With Link," That didn't calm the woman, and Zelda stepped forward in concern, "Is everything well, friend?" Her response was a gaze devoid of recognition – such an expression was familiar, and it frightened her. Princess Zelda tried not to show her shock, but Ilia was already becoming anxious. "Please, follow me."

…

"It was wise of you to bring her here, Your Highness," Doctor Borville removed his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. Ilia sat on a cot and hugged herself, knees pulled her to her chest as her eyes scanned the room.

Princess Zelda turned to face the Doctor and whispered, "Is there any way I may be of assistance?"

The old man shook his head. "I sent Fuana to bring the boy. He'll know what to do."

Right on cue, Elric burst through the door, eyes frantic and concerned. Fuana's small silhouette was behind him, and she pointed to where Ilia sat, her spirits rising at the sight of him. She stood up and ran to hug him, and he embraced her as if he hadn't seen her in years. Her hands reached up into his brown locks as she appeared to be crying. He helped her sit back down and held her hands within his own. He said something, a phrase that seemed to make Ilia's eyes peer up at the Princess and back.

Zelda could not hear them, so she watched intently as he seemed to pull small items out of her pocket. They were wooden totems, similar in size and style as the ones she would work on while visiting the Princess. Link arrived just as Elric began scattering them across Ilia's lap.

"Zelda," He breathed, "I heard."

Fuana had caught him up to everything that might have led to this relapse in memory loss, and he wanted to assure her it wasn't her fault. She watched as Elric picked up each figure and listened to the name she gave in response. Zelda very clearly heard her say, "Link" when presented with a wooden horseshoe.

"Memory by association," Fuana mentioned, placing her hands behind her back in the same manner as the Doctor.

"I recommended she make totems for important people in her life, just in case this happened," He added.

When Elric held up a wooden rose painted in red, Ilia's face scrunched in discomfort and reddened before softening from identification. Her eyes flickered with the fires of remembrance at the Princess before crying in embarrassment.

"She forgot me," The Princess said matter-of-factly. Elric kissed the tears and placed the totems back into her pockets, rubbing her back with a caring smile. Link grunted, wishing to speak to Ilia as well, and Zelda allowed it with a nod. "Did I cause this," she asked the Doctor with a blank expression, "The stress which led to this relapse?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No. It's always been bubbling under the surface. It's from the circumstances, being taken away from her home, the uncertainty of life. Like everyone else, she feels helpless, unable to make a difference."

"You can always make a difference," She argued.

He gave a dry laugh. "Since when did you become such an optimist Princess? Weren't you once so convinced that we are all victims of our own predestined fate?"

"I am not sure what I believe anymore," She watched intently at how beautifully Elric and Ilia held one another.

The Doctor made a noise for her to follow him into the next room, imploring her to sit while he checked over her. "Have you been taking your supplements?"

"Fuana and Luda have not let me forget to." She opened wide as he placed a wooden stick on her tongue.

"I'm surprised the Shaman's daughter hasn't fed you fire lizards." He laughed at the ridiculousness of his statement.

"Be nice," She threatened.

"Humans no longer visit my clinic, Your Highness," He placed his fingers against her wrists and counted beats, grimacing in disdain as he continued, "One of my patients died because she'd rather not take what she called, 'Hylian poison'."

Zelda cursed under her breath. "This is getting out of hand; when will the division end?"

She removed her glove so he could check the veins in her arm as she hissed, "This is why I must discover what happened to the humans."

He chuckled as if he heard a child claim they would visit the moon. "It will only help for a moment. With King Daphnes in power, there will always be distrust."

"Well, he shall not be stepping down anytime soon," The lightest thought soothed her mind, "You and the Shaman should try working together. Act as a fine example of what human and Hylian efforts can achieve together."

He gaped at her angrily, "No way!"

She scowled at his attitude and sternly said, "As your Princess, I command it."

His impish features hardened as he huffed, unable to deny such a request. "Aren't you getting big for your breeches…Fine."

She thanked him for his unwilling cooperation, but he just shoved through the cotton walls like the old grump he was, and in his path was a reserved Link. He took the Doctor's place in the room, and Zelda was ecstatic to see him. The Princess gently pulled him down to sit beside her. "Is Ilia alright? She does know I am not upset, correct?" She spoke slowly, observant of every expressive muscle in his face as she awaited his answer.

He nodded, his hair framing his trustworthy face. It was tanned and supple, very much alive and warm like the summer heat. She frowned, "Once again I make a bad decision for those close to me...I shouldn't have let her come."

"No," he lifted her chin up and she winced. This upset him, even if he smiled peacefully to try and obscure his hurt. He was being strong for her, using his soft touch to try and convince her this wasn't her fault.

"I think we should call it a day," she put her hand over his and brought it onto her lap, "We will begin investigating again tomorrow."

He made a noise. _Are you okay?_ He was wondering why she was becoming so distant. She felt like a broken record sometimes, always bothering him with her problems but never giving the whole story. The way he looked at her – he wanted to be let in, not only to a narrator's retelling of the events, but to into the character's mind. He wanted a deeper understanding. She promised to trust him, transparency, if they were to be allies...And lovers. Vulnerability was not a flaw; she needed to not treat it as such. _Say what is on your mind_ , she reasoned with herself.

"Huh?" He panicked.

She followed his eyes down to their joined hands. Her gloves were still missing from the Doctor's examination, and her nails were digging deep into her flesh. She released herself, five sharp dents cut into the back of her fist. She couldn't help the thoughts that played inside her head, that dystopia she almost called home, the way she let Dark hurt her within the castle, the Queen's haunting voice. Her blood heated up as she felt ready to run away from dangers that didn't exist. Oh Gods no, not another episode! She tried to warn of the ghosts with slow words, or at least she believed her mouth was producing words as it opened and closed.

Her body twitched and shook as she uncomfortably felt every smack and insult inflicted not only by the enemy, but by friends. A voice reminded her of her sins. It was small but powerful enough to send her into a downpour of anxiety. Her eyes glazed over.

 _The rose began to wilt after many days devoid of sunlight, petals shedding color and thorns until she was nothing more than a lanky stalk. Soil once rich in love was poor and deadening. The rose was beginning to question whether she was a rose at all, and at one point saw herself as a dandelion – a weed._

 _The shadow dried her out, relishing in the way her leaves rotted. He was like a full moon, using the light to masquerade as the sun cruelly._

"Zelda?"

Someone touched her and she snapped, wrestling them down while gripping the lapels of their shirt as her scarred leg burned. Unwarranted anger pumped through her arteries as she sat atop them, tears landing on soft green fabrics. Link stared up at her, perplexed but not frightened by her outburst.

She could hardly control the venom in her voice as words spewed. "Would I rather be hated or feared," she hissed. The Queen's malicious laughter echoed from her memory.

He held his hands beside his head, azure orbs begging she see her true reflection. He knew she was no monster, that she would never hurt a fly, yet his trust made her lips tremble. The frustration was passing, leaving her with only guilt. Her long brown locks fell off her shoulder as she gripped his top tighter. She shook her head at his innocence. "You have no idea," she sniveled, "What has gone through my mind."

Link furrowed his brows.

She cried, "She wanted me to kill you!" Her hands involuntarily stiffened and the cloth around his neck tightened into a choke, but he didn't flinch. His face was stone cold as she cried, "And there is nothing I can do to silence her, because she **is** me."

"No," Link said without delay, "She's not – You need to fight it."

The Princess released him and covered her mouth, regretful and ashamed. She placed her forehead on his chest and whimpered, "Just like Ilia, I forgot you...Who you were, who anyone else was. I willingly took a fake. A world of smoke and mirrors pretending to be a perfect reality. I only questioned it when Naru intervened, and even then I casted doubt because it squashed my selfish desires!" She punched the floor with her right hand and shouted, "You risked your life to save a burden that forgot about you–!"

"I don't care!" Link shouted back, grabbing both her wrists and holding them above his face aggressively. "I don't give a damn about the dangers because I'm selfish too! So what about forgetting me – I would spend every day of my life meeting you for the first time, over and over again, because I love you Zelda!"

She stared wide eyed, entrapped by his candid stare. He loosened his grip on her wrists and captured her face within his palms. He pulled her face closer to his and breathed, "You worry too much about things you can't control. Never feel sorry for surviving. You did what you needed to do, and we got through it."

"But…" she hiccuped, his body radiating warmth beneath her.

"You are not that voice," he repeated, "I trust you will never hurt me." His heart beat rapidly, in time with her own, as she stared enamoured with the remarkable man before her. He smiled and places a deep kiss upon her salty lips, parting them slowly as a delicious sound rumbled from her throat.

Someone cleared their throat.

"Oh no," The voice was small yet fierce, "N-Not in my clinic."

The two parted quickly, faces red to see Fuana standing uncomfortably and green inside the room. Her arms were crossed and austere, a persona they had never seen on the stuttering child. "If you w-wish to fornicate, we re-request you do so elsewhere."

The two exploded with roseate humiliation at the frank girl's comment, and froze just as Naru's head appeared from behind the white cloth-wall. "Hey sis, what's fornicate me–" Her expression went sour upon noticing them. She exclaimed, "Ew, gross!"

…

After being verbally assaulted by the children, the Princess was escorted by a forward Naru to her bedroom. According to the girl, she believed boys to have "a contagious disease called cooties", and thus wanted to make sure she wasn't affected after being so close to her big brother (someone she was convicted was infected). Once back at the Inn, Telma sent up a healthy meal and words of encouragement, but the Princess wasn't very hungry. She was drained, deflated like an old balloon, and wanted nothing more than to sleep all day.

Another breakdown was not on her list of things to do, and even though it was freeing to be honest with Link, she felt odd. She lied down on her bed and opened her bedside drawer, removing the cork from her mysterious bottle and taking a swig of harsh rumbullion. It settled the panic that was arising within her, and after a few more sips, she was out cold for the night. No chance of detailed dreams, no ghosts strong enough to do their hauntings.

* * *

 **Special Thanks to:**  
 **Jpeepers, ZelinkObsessed, AxelDrevbon, JediMayukiDaAWESOME, WildFire354, Guest, SweetestChick, Guest, Ultimate blazer, Generala, Ripple, Lollie. T. M, Guest, and AzHasANewName1**

 **You guys rock! Your reviews were beautiful, an hopefully this chapter has cleared things up! You all were very observant though, things were too perfect last chapter ;) I love reading all of your reviews and thoughts, you make this whole journey worth while! I love you all!**

 **Now I feel like I may have asked this before, but I am too lazy to read all my author's notes from previous chapters, so sorry if I'm repeating myself but: Who's your favorite couple besides Link and Zelda? I think Elric and Ilia are adorable!**

 **My editor who really needs an award: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Oh, and welcome back to school to all my fellow students! It'll be over soon, summer is only like 10 months away :D**

 **See you next month my lovelies!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Why do I have an unhealthy habit of posting chapters late at night?**

* * *

It was an odd morning. Uncomfortable like the week in general, with little room for relaxation. It had been a few days since their first investigation day, and things had only gotten worse. Twelve more humans had gone missing, and with village repairs followed by riots, there never seemed an optimal time to continue the search. Princess Zelda no longer slept, only worked on figuring out ways to tidy up the mess as best as she could, but it was proving impossible. The people, like the town they inhabited, were crumbling like the bricks used to build their temporary homes. The Council was overwhelmed – progress at a standstill, causing the morning meeting to be postponed for another day.

Impaz woke Zelda with medicines in hand, helping the Princess change the bandages around her sore abdomen. The stab wound was going to leave a scar; she accepted the fact that her body was to be a gallery of Dark's handiwork for the rest of her life. She sighed at the pink flesh. Once he was defeated, these would be markings of pride, but now she could only feel shame.

The elder Sheikah patted the Princess's cheek lovingly and sent her off to conquer the day. The problem was that Zelda didn't feel like conquering anything. Not even a healthy meal. "Hylia, help us," she prayed. Telma stopped her at the foot of the staircase.

"Honey," She crossed her arms over her large chest and spoke softly, "Ilia's here to see you."

The monarch hid her lethargy and nodded. "Thank you."

As expected, the woman sat in the lobby, hands preoccupied with a wooden rose – Zelda's totem. Ilia was struggling to forgive herself for forgetting the Princess, and spent the last few days looking into the disappearances alone to "redeem herself". Stubborn girl.

Zelda purposely asked to meet with her for that reason; the increased stress was only triggering her memory loss more. She cleared her throat to announce her presence, two human patrons exiting as she did so.

"Princess," Ilia looked up with hopeful eyes.

"How are you this morning?" Zelda sat across from her, clasping her hands in front of her as she inspected the blonde. She avoided the Princess's stare, but Zelda knew there were other ways to gauge a person's condition. A piece of old cabbage was stuck on the nape of her neck, ivory dress shirt speckled with light stains. She pissed somebody off, enough to have food flung at her.

"Better," Ilia put the figurine back into her pocket, "I know you think I'm being foolish – I just want to make a difference and help the humans, as well as clear your name!"

Princess Zelda smiled, "I appreciate that, but it is not your battle to fight, friend. If you really want to make a change, you should join the coun–"

"No!" Ilia shouted before covering her mouth, unsure of why she so rudely disagreed. "It's just too much responsibility…"

Zelda's lips tightened. "I only bring it up for your mental safety," She shut down the topic as a growing anxiety consumed her friend. "I do not wish for you to go interrogating people alone. One of us must be with you, am I understood?"

"Yes Your Highness," she bowed her head.

Zelda rubbed her temples in frustration, "Gods know how long that will take."

Ilia leaned forward in concern, trying to get a better view of the dark circles under Zelda's eyes. "It's bad, huh? You really should get some rest."

She closed her stormy eyes and only saw the malicious orbs of a shadowy predator. "What is the point," she grumbled, "Nightmares shall keep me up regardless. Might as well try and be productive during the insomnia."

The blonde pouted, openly disagreeing with the claim but not willing to voice against it. She noted, "You know, Elric complains about the same thing...These disappearances are really getting to him."

"How so?"

"I think..." She paused, "I don't know, it's just bothering him. I mean, it scares me too, but he's obsessed over it. He didn't want me looking into things alone either, I think he's afraid I'll go next, but I feel so close to finding answers!"

The Princess inquired, "What information _have_ you acquired?"

Ilia perked up slightly. "I've been able to pinpoint which Home people are going missing from, and how many disappear. There's a pattern of six people, three male and three female, once every three days. It's pretty random, and there is no early indicator of who goes. Most people theorize the culprit is a member of the guards, since they are the only ones outside the building every night."

"We should ask Ashei about it," The Princess frowned, but Ilia seemed to disagree with the idea. Zelda caught this doubt and wondered, "What do you suggest?"

"I just think the more people we tell about this...Well, we should probably keep it a secret. Catch them off guard and what not."

"Like vigilante justice?" She raised a slender brow.

"No," Ilia laughed, "You're the Princess, that would be like asking a priestess to steal...More like an undercover operation."

Just as Zelda was about to ask more questions, Fuana entered the lobby, Naru beside her. The two girls, now inseparable like Siamese twins, waved at the women happily. Naru told them, "We're going to check on the Zoras, wanna come? I heard there's someone that wants to talk to you."

Her brows furrowed, "Speak with _me_?"

"Yeah," Naru scratched her head, "She didn't say why."

Zelda glanced at Ilia who shrugged at the idea. "We will be right over."

…

Surprisingly, the Zora people were very adaptive to their drier surroundings, living contently within the pool behind the Spring. It was deep enough to be reminiscent of the throne room within the Domain, and gave them the spiritual connection they desired, even if it was with Eldin. It was a peculiar place to harbor them, but they managed. If the water was too cold, they had the Hot Springs to soak in, and honestly anything was better than death.

The Zora people were quiet and methodical by nature; ruled by logic and deep thinking, just as their patron Goddess willed. Ilia had only experienced the race through Prince Ralis, when she found him dying in the streets. Never had she seen them in large numbers and varieties, and she showed that wonder with eyes that sparkles like the water. Princess Zelda allowed her to experience the whimsy that was Zora culture – even if a watered down version of it.

Fuana and Naru were sitting on the ledge above the colossal pool, playing with the children who looked up at them in fascination from below. Zora children were adorable little guppies, mostly made up of fins and miniature humanoid bodies. The girls seemed to be entertaining them with balls of light and trained fairy dances they conjured, both tricks Zelda had not gotten to teach them yet. The guppy children spoke to the Princess freely, chirping their condolences and best wishes in their search for answers. No one came up to her with questions like she expected.

"Little one," Zelda asked when the Zora women returned to their daily chores, none of them showing any urgency. Naru turned to her curiously. The Princess knelt down beside the girls and cleaned a speck of dirt off Fuana's cheek. "You said there was someone who wished to speak with me?"

"It was I!" A small voice echoed off the walls. The Princess frowned, crawling to the edge of the cliff and peering down at the crystal clear water below.

"Oh," she breathed, "This is unexpected."

A small Zora guppy, salmon colored with large, luminescent jade eyes and glistening silver jewelry, waved her willowy hand up at the Princess. "I am Feta, Hylian Princess!"

"Many greetings little Feta," She grabbed her diadem to stop it from falling, "How may I be of assistance?"

Feta's young scales turned a bright peach. "I have something to tell you! About the humans!" Ilia heard this, and hastily came to sit behind the Princess. The aquatic girl continued, "Every night, Mother Elara makes us sleep as soon as the moon appears in the sky. I hate it, because night is the only cool time of day where I can use my legs and walk."

"Your mother is right," Princess Zelda nodded, "Night time is no place for a guppy."

"Well she scolds me for being rebellious, so I do it anyways," Feta laughed, "A few nights ago I was taking my walk, when I saw a man with people following him outside the village. I told Mother Elara, but she only got mad at me for walking."

"Did you see his face?" Ilia cut in, unable to contain herself.

Feta shook her head. "No, human, but he played music."

"Thank you Feta," Zelda stood up, invigorated and brimming with purpose, "I have an idea."

"Me too," Ilia grinned, "Should we get the boys first?"

"Definitely. You get Elric, and meet me in my chambers by noon."

Ilia nodded and ran off. The Princess glanced back at the girls, who were speaking to the guppies about nutrition and where to find the clinic. Zelda called out to them, "Little ones, I am leaving."

"Okay!" They chimed back in unison, Naru rolling her pant legs up just to jump into the water. Everyone laughed loudly, Fuana admonished her actions with a worried stutter. This was paradise – the sound of children's laughter.

…

Auru marked his map with various points of interest and scribbled notes, the dim Sanctuary light straining his vision. Zelda offered to mark spots for him while he rested his eyes. He was trying to figure out the location her vision took place in, the Eldin Province being the last place he would go. "The Great Desert, colloquially known as the Gerudo Desert, is our best guess. It has sand, and is the only place we haven't looked."

She stared at the territory lines written on the parchment and frowned, "That area is forbidden."

"You're right. All known trails were closed, and remain closed. The other issue is that it's been uninhabited for years. Your father as a young Prince may have met the last of the Gerudo people. I know traders from other kingdoms use our desert's unofficial trade routes, given that we have no regulations in that area anymore. This third girl could be part of these Caravans." He motioned for Zelda to mark, "The Mesa and Arbiter's Grounds are the only places listed here. There is a lot more land going west, but I would check these two places first."

"How will we get there if there are no roads?" She wondered.

Auru pointed behind her. "He knows."

Zelda jumped, not having noticed Link was in the room with them. Her waved at her sweetly, just lacing up a leather bag she assumed he had been working on this whole time. Upon seeing him, her body erupted into a foreign heat reminiscent of their incident in the clinic. The way he licked his lips while he worked, the sweat on his brow from the heat – these were inappropriate thoughts, she had a job to do.

"Mark your points of interest first," Auru recommended, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I heard Uli was making sweets and I need to grab a few before those wild girls steal them all." He bid his farewell to both of them and left eagerly.

Zelda cleared her throat, but Link took it as a request to come stand beside her. She was leaning on the table, the tip of her quill hovering above the Gerudo Mesa. He watched her, and this made her nervous. After her breakdown, he seemed to want to be closer, a result she did not anticipate after nearly attacking him during her possession by ghosts. Openness had its pros, but the way it made her conscience crumble was concerning. _Warrior's Heart,_ she could hear the Doctor say, _Makes these moments a lot more difficult than they need to be._

Fight it. He wanted her to fight it, but even when she pushed it away from her mind, the thoughts only seemed to return with double the energy. She shook her head, "Is there anywhere you recommend? You are more experienced with this area than I."

He scooted closer, shoulder touching her own as he inspected the map. His cool orbs became hooded and thoughtful as he sighed, "Remember all those years ago." She knew where his attention was, and it angered her, because that meant he was thinking of Midna. It shouldn't have made her feel so jealous and green, but knowing another was running in his mind – Hylia forgive her for the words she wished to say.

Link must have sensed her discomfort, but like any man, had no idea what the problem was – and like a woman, she would not tell him. He moved to stand behind her and place his hands on the table, trapping her between him and placing his chin on her shoulder. Something snapped, the memory of being confined still fresh as the black ink on her quill. Maybe that's why this reminded her of that monster, why she quickly flipped around to stare at Link in fear, because ghosts told her she was being attacked and the pen was her sword. His calm hushes guided her away from the past, and she gripped his arms tightly as they faded away.

He put his forehead on hers and wondered what memories still haunted the flesh. She answered him with a kiss as he filled her with life and warmth. She was stuck between him and table, their heart beats pounding in unison as the gesture deepened, her hands reaching up to grab his hair. She gasped as he nipped her lower lip, and grabbing her waist, he lifted her up and onto the table, standing between her legs and nervously touching her. He broke the kiss, and asked with his sultry eyes clouded with desire where she was hurt. She frowned, unsure how exposing Dark's trauma would help, but went ahead and pointed to her throat where he would strangle her for amusement.

Anger flashed across Link's face, but he distracted himself with kissing her once more before nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck as he softly invaded it with his lips. Her eyes fluttered shut as he licked and sucked at the skin above her vein, hands bringing pleasure rather than pain. She understood now, and overcome with that strange feeling in her stomach, she pulled his face to the spot on her shoulder where Dark bit her until she bled. Link did the same, but carefully, without puncturing the skin, pulling the strap of her dress to the side as he used his left hand to cup her breast. She tried to choke back a moan, but it seemed to make him just as aroused, if not more.

He slowly eased her to lay down and trailed kisses down her body, stopping above the area where she was stabbed as series of giddy giggles came from the center of the room. Link and Zelda jumped up, faces red like beets as they remembered a majority of the College Virgins lived in the basement of the Sanctuary. They both straightened themselves up and ran off without a sound, Link trying not to laugh at how mortified she appeared.

…

Back at the Inn, Zelda and Link waited for Ilia and Elric to arrive, their actions a couple hours prior still fresh on their skin. She couldn't stop staring at him, something within her hungering for his contact again. Her face was heated, and she shook it away. This intensity was inappropriate and uncalled for in a woman of her status. She needed to be in control of her actions and feelings, especially with the opposite sex. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed while he stared at the door with a trademark smile. His lips, the memory of them made her weak at the knees. She must have stumbled slightly, because he darted to her quickly and jolted, as if to grab her in case she fell over.

 _What are you, a prepubescent boy? Pull yourself together,_ she scolded herself when he didn't seem to be as distracted by her as she was of him. She sat on her bed, face returning to a natural flesh color; a knocking came from her door. She primly asked Link to open it for Ilia, but to her surprise, it was just King Daphnes, still lost in his thoughts. She was impressed to see he ventured outside with all this trouble centered around his name – he wasn't hiding in a hole like she expected. But his expression made her humor the thought he wanted to be _punished_.

"Yes?" she asked with an attitude, Link bowing his head to the King.

He withdrew a taped-up board from within his robes and meekly ordained, "Mind humoring me with a game? No one else in this bloody village knows how to play right." His eyes jumped to Link awkwardly, "Eh, your friend can stay too."

She grimaced at him, tired of him playing this submissive character capable of feelings other than anger and abuse. Link coerced her to accept, smiling at this supposed "change" in attitude, but didn't understand. Maybe growing up without blood relatives made him sympathize with the King's efforts, but he was far too trusting of others to recognize manipulation. The King appeared puny and weak, but how much of it was true? It was easy to front as small and be underestimated – Link kept staring at her. She scowled, "Fine. But make it quick, we have things to do."

The King nodded, setting up the game of chess dully. He let her make the first move.

Link curiously watched them from her desk, as they played on the floor. Zelda inspected the King and questioned his sudden change in demeanor. What caused him to appear this way, and why? He captured one of her pawns, and she saw a slip in his expression. Guilt – but for what, she could only guess.

"You caused this, do you understand that." Zelda kept her eyes on the board, trying to be fair in her wording. She didn't want to get carried away and hurt him for the sake of causing pain.

"I do." He moved his knight foolishly.

She captured it with ease. He didn't anticipate she would notice his slip in judgement. "I told you that decree was detrimental for everyone, but you did not listen." she boasted.

"I know." he acquiesced, pissing her off with his lack of emotion.

She scanned the board. "Is that all you have to say for yourself?"

"You remind me," he whispered to himself, "So much of your mother."

"Checkmate." she announced coldly. His sloppy, absent-minded playing left his King wide open and vulnerable. She took it without a moment's hesitation, but when his face saddened, she wondered if she should have gone easier on his. He appeared depressed before wearing a mask of indifference.

Standing up, the King gathered the game and his pieces and monotonously stated, "Thank you for the game, Princess Zelda." and walked away.

Elric and Ilia must have crossed his path, for she heard them greet the King accordingly in the hall before entering her chambers. That was odd, but she shoved it to the back of her mind. This personal crisis of his was not her concern – if anything, he deserved to feel so blue. Her fingernails were sore from a distant memory.

"Thank you for coming," Zelda greeted, closing the door – along with that strange exchange – behind them. She implored them to get comfortable, placing her hands behind her back as she paced the room to begin her train of thought. "I believe I have an idea on how we can catch whomever is enticing the humans to leave."

Everyone listened closely as Zelda explained, and Ilia grinned awkwardly in anticipation: "It would involve two of us staying in a human Home while the other two keep watch."

They nodded in agreement, Link volunteering to go. "I knew you would, love," Zelda nodded, "But you do know you have to wear a disguise."

His turquoise eyes widened.

"You're kinda hard not to notice," Ilia commented, approaching him and pulling on his sharply pointed ears.

"If we dress you up like a woman," Princess Zelda explained, "We could hide your ears _and_ identity."

"Yeah, _Linkle._ " Ilia teased. "I have _**so**_ many pretty outfits that will match your eyes."

He sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. Elric stood up and offered, "I want to go with Link."

Zelda turned to him in surprise, just as Ilia's humor disappeared. "No way," The blonde human darkly countered, "It's too dangerous."

He ignored her, "Please Your Highness, I insist."

Ilia looked to her for support, but Zelda needed to know why he was so adamant. "She is right, this is no simple task. You must be ready for anything."

"I have a sword!" He begged, "Please, let me do something more than just discuss at a table."

Ilia shook her head, but Zelda could not turn him down. This was why he was having nightmares, and who was she to deny him closure? She empathized with his drive to take action, much to Ilia's discontent. "I permit it."

Her friend's mouth fell open, and Elric tried to soothe her worries. "It's okay honey, I'll be fine!" He smiled, taking her hand in his own. She was too shocked to even notice, face white and body tensed.

Link tried to help assure her that nothing would happen. They began planning their mission out piece by piece, all four giving their own respective ideas and opinions. Things were running smoothly, and after a few hours of discussion, they came up with a well thought out idea. At curfew, the boys would enter the Home to rest with the other humans. Zelda and Ilia will be keeping watch up by the Hot Springs, cuccos nearby. There, they'll wait for the cloaked man to appear. Going forth, they would follow him, and capture the fiend at the first opportunity they have.

Ilia escorted Link to find the best outfit for his disguise, leaving the Princess and Elric alone in the room. The merchant man pulled a flask from his pocket and took a long gulp, turning to her and laughing, "Liquid courage."

She coveted it until he returned it to his clothes, face unsure and worried. Zelda raised a brow, "You do not have to do this, you know. I can go in your place."

He shook his head. "Thanks for the concern Your Highness, but I have to do this." She tilted her head and he continued. "It feels like my whole life I've let things just _happen_ to me. From jobs, to arranged marriages – not to say that I am unhappy being betrothed to Ilia, she is the best thing that's happened to me – but I've never really done anything _I_ originally wanted to do, and I was fine with that. Like a coward, I was afraid to stray from the path given to me, to take control."

"You fear disappearing yourself. Finding out what is happening to your people means that you are in control of your fate," Zelda closed her eyes and smiled warmly, "I understand the feeling."

His tender eyes lit up, and he pulled a small item out of the tiny purse attached to his belt. He covered it with his hands and stared proudly. "Princess," He mumbled, "Even though we are just acquaintances, you have done a lot for me. I just have one favor to ask." She nodded to him to continue. "Can you hold onto this while I'm away? I'm afraid I might lose it if things get heated."

Opening up his palms, he showed her a beautiful gold brooch shaped like a bird with large emerald eyes. She took it from his hands and inspected all its detail and intricacies. "My family's crest is a bird, and I want to give this to Ilia. I want to ask her to marry me, to give her a choice, and something to look forward to when all this is over. Please take care of it while I'm gone."

Zelda gasped, "This is lovely Lord Elric, she is going to be so happy! You need not worry. I will protect it with my life."

"Thank you." He beamed. The door opened and Ilia roughly dragged Link into the room. Zelda quickly hid the brooch and covered her mouth to stop her howling laughter. Link crossed his arms with a huff, a green bandana covering his ears, and chest stuffed with linens. His dress was floral and neutral-toned, a shawl thrown over him to hide his broad shoulders. Ilia outdid herself, painting his face softly with rouge cheeks and lips stained from juice.

She laughed at him, and he frowned at her joy. "Miss Linkle, aren't you so pretty!" Ilia chuckled. Elric was watching her, eyes brimming with love as he studied the way her nose crinkled when she laughed. Princess Zelda smiled. When the human woman completed her levity, she bit her lip in worry. "Please," she glanced between Link and Zelda, "Take care of Elric."

…

At curfew, the boys snuck into the human Home without question. Zelda swore she even saw a man attempt to pinch Link's rear, and Ilia prided herself on her masterpiece. The moon crawled her way up the heavens, and beckoned the night guards to begin their rotations. Ilia and Zelda spied from the Hot Springs, looking down at the vacant streets below for any sign of curious activity. Zelda wore her Sheikah garbs just in case, and Ilia spent more time feeding the cuccos than keeping watch.

Maybe it was best that the Ordonian woman kept herself occupied. She was nervous the whole evening about Elric, unable to eat or sit without fidgeting; this way, her mind wouldn't think bad thoughts. Zelda yawned, using Link's Hawkeye to study the guards who swayed with an absent lullaby. Figures.

There was shouting, the sounds of a struggle coming from below. Ilia ran over to see the commotion, Zelda focusing on the Home, but it didn't seem to come from the humans. The loud slam of doors pulled her attention to the Sanctuary where Telma and Shaman Renado seemed to be arguing. "Not them again," Ilia groaned, rolling her eyes as the curvy woman left the Shaman dumbfounded with a kiss. He didn't seem to appreciate the affection, yet didn't complain.

"How curious." Zelda scowled, uninterested with drama, returning to keep an eye on the Home. The stars and moon continued their journey through the night sky with no disturbances down below. Ilia had already fallen asleep, and the Princess forced herself to not nod off. She would stand and stretch, do jumping jacks, splash the hot water onto her face, but the sands of sleep still managed to stick in her eyes. She felt herself rock like a boat on the ocean, eyes heavy. _Stay awake Zelda,_ she reminded herself, _Close them for just...one moment..._

The gentle melody from an Ocarina played on the wind.

Her head perked up, and she shook Ilia awake. "Do you hear that?" she asked in a frenzy.

"Hear what?" Ilia wondered, still waking.

She knew this, it was familiar, but she couldn't pinpoint why. It was menacing, haunting even – it was a song she was taught to fear. Keeping low, she watched as a stranger emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black, yet she could tell he was tall in stature. The Princess hated him upon sight, but watched patiently as he approached the Home. The guards were fast asleep, but not from laziness – they appeared to be hexed! The man, his back to his audience, raised something to his lips, and the song played once more.

That is when the door opened, and one by one, six humans exited the Home, eyes hooded in a trance as they lined up outside the house. Link and Elric were chosen, but Link looked up at Zelda in confusion. "A forbidden magic…" She whispered, turning to tell Ilia only to find she was misty-eyed and walking toward the town herself. Zelda rushed over to stop her, shaking the girl out of the spell.

Ilia blinked quickly and gasped, unaware of what she was just doing.

"The Song of Commands!" Princess Zelda's blood went cold, "He is using a forbidden magic to lure humans out!"

"Oh Gods, Elric!" Ilia's voice cracked. Quickly the girls rushed down to the streets below, only to see the Pied Piper marching his willing slaves away. Link glanced back at the girls and motioned to Elric who seemed flummoxed within the trance. Zelda tried to motion Link to wake him up, but whoever was kidnapping the humans was moving too fast!

"Ilia, stay here." Zelda commanded, but she was faced with an indomitable spirit.

"I'm coming with you!"

With little time to waste, the women quickly followed after them, keeping close to the shadows so not to be seen. Ilia gripped Zelda's arm in fear when the group reached the gates. The cloaked man paused and rummaged through his pockets before pulling out a shiny key. The Princess was stunned, only members of the Council had–

"Shit." She grunted, clenching her fists in a betrayed rage. It was one of the Councilmen, she was certain of it. He unleashed the door and led his sheep out; Link kept his head down to hide his unfazed face as they did so. The gate was closed but not locked, and swiftly Zelda ran to it.

"Ilia," she touched the gate, "Are you sure you wish to continue?"

Her jade eyes burned with passion. "Elric's still stuck in a trance, I can't just leave him there!"

Zelda nodded. "I want you to stay hidden. A fight may break out, and the last thing we need is you getting hurt."

Ilia understood, and together, they pushed open the iron doors.

…

Moonlight coated the Eldin Province with soft light and thick shadows as the moon prepared to return to the underworld. The humans paraded like sheep through the open fields, following their sadistic shepard to the ends of the world. They were heading for ruins to the north, Zelda could see there was someone waiting for them.

Zelda and Ilia jumped from one cover to the other, struggling to stay close in such an open environment. Luckily, the ruins were scattered across the lands like hay caught in a breeze, so the Princess and her companion hid a reasonable distance away. She watched three figures who stood by collapsed pillars while they waited for the shipment of humans, using her Hawkeye to make sure she was not mistaken. It was the two remaining oracles, faces still disheveled with tears as they spoke to a man. He was tall and pale as the moonlight, golden tresses pushed back away from sapphire eyes. Princess Zelda gasped in surprise as she dropped her tool.

"Lord Harlan," She couldn't believe the words that left her lips. She should have known it was him – that a cockroach such as he would still be alive after all of this! Ilia was frightened by her reaction, taking the Hawkeye for herself and peering through it.

"Who is he?" She wondered.

"He approached me once," she hissed, "Speaking of genocide casually...But something is different."

She squinted her eyes, noticing the way he covered only his left arm. The oracles left as soon as the cloaked man approached, and to no surprise, Lord Osmar revealed himself.

"That son of a bitch," Ilia gasped.

Zelda snapped, "Feigning concern for his missing son when he knew all along he was alive! The manipulator." _Stay clear of snakes, precious little Princess._ Deirdre's final words played in her mind – she was warning her of Lord Osmar, that is why he killed her. Because she knew he was a traitor, and if she was in their custody, she would have exposed him. She felt so stupid!

The two exchanged words, and Zelda was alert and ready – Link grabbing the sword hidden under his shawl and shaking Elric awake. Viscount Osmar began to return for Kakariko, leaving the group with a proud smile. Lord Harlan then turned to the sheep and lifted his obscured arm, revealing the flesh to be black as coal. He held a hand out to them with a smug grin, snapping his fingers.

A young man was there, and then he wasn't. A shadow replaced him, an entity made of ebony liquid that fell into Harlan's shadow so fast that if you blinked, you'd miss it. He was turning humans into shadows...shadows that they fought. The enemy was made from humans!

Ilia held back the urge to vomit, and Zelda commanded her to stay behind. She jumped out of her hiding spot and headed for the Lord, just as he raised his hand up to another victim. "Lord Harlan!" She vehemently shouted out, estoc in hand as she marched over to him. He paused, shaken at first, but surprisingly glad to see it was her.

He sang, "Princess Zelda. It has been too long."

Snap. Another human succumbed to darkness and stood in front of the Princess, blocking her path. She gritted her teeth, their empty eyes burning into her soul.

"Genius, isn't it? Using the darkness of such a weak race to free them. Killing two birds with one stone: mindless soldiers as well as one less idiotic human to worry about." He laughed.

"Fight me, you coward," She threatened, glancing at Link and Elric who drew their weapons discreetly.

"Come to me then, Princess," He summoned three shadows to act as a wall between them. She gripped her blade but found herself uneasy when glancing into their black eyes. They were dim, but the idea that they once held light made her sick. He laughed at her apprehension cruelly, "Are you afraid of hurting them? You precious little thing, there is no feeling left with them, they are good as dead." He held out his grotesque limb that smelt of rotting flesh and used his demonic magic to destroy yet another life, "See, painless."

"You're a monster," Elric sounded, luring the Lord's attention to him, gripping the hilt of his sword as angry tears ran down his cheeks. "They did nothing to you!"

Princess Zelda cursed – Link stepping in front of Elric to try and shield him.

The Viscount's son looked down at him in disgust and spat. "Another human pet you like to surround yourself with, Princess?" He snarled, "Maybe not to me _dog_ , but what about my sister and mother? Killed by humans convinced Hylians had no place in this world; two defenseless women stolen, and do they receive justice? No, because Hylians harm humans, never the other way around. An eye for an eye – if your kind wants a villain, I will give it to them!"

Link jumped him as he was distracted, slicing at his abdomen with a shout. Lord Harlan blocked the attack with a shadow he used as a shield, summoning three bodies to keep Link at bay. Elric and Zelda roused the remaining humans and begged them to flee, but he was already beginning to turn. Four shadows attacked the group at once;Zelda kept them away from Link as he attacked Lord Harlan.

Zelda covered Elric's back as she used the magic at her fingertips to shine Hylia's light and vanquish the shadows. Elric, not being a warrior, fought hard, but Zelda took most of his enemies. Link growled as Harlan retreated from his attacks, and thinking quickly, the Princess summoned her bow and shot for his arm, but he quickly moved out of the way. Zelda and Link came after him, and he stalked away with a smile, believing he had the upper hand.

That was when she saw Elric creep up from behind the distracted Lord, and with his sword, cut just above his elbow, black blood trickling out of the abrasion. Lord Harlan howled in pain, and the world stopped – or at least, it felt like it stopped.

Things became surreal after Elric wounded Harlan, because immediately after, the Lord revolved and snapped his fingers. Once warm eyes faded to black as darkness crept up Elric's skin and melted like ebony candle wax onto the floor, just like Ralis described. It was slowly processing, that she lost another person she swore to protect, but instead of blood, all that was left was an inky puddle.

Someone's shouting. It's neither her, nor Link, even though he appears just as shaken as she is. Time is speeding up, Lord Harlan is looking back at them with a self-satisfied mug. She knew that voice, it was–

Ilia tackled Lord Harlan to the ground with a cry of sheer fury, pummeling him in the face with her tiny clenched fists. He tried to get her off but she kept punching him, growling and screaming, not even stopping as her skin turned red and his face disfigured. Her knuckles split and she was sobbing, still continuing even after he went unconscious. Morphing his face into an unrecognizable mush of black and blue without care.

Link and Zelda tried to pull her off him but she thrashed against them, bawling her eyes out with a throat-ripping cry, "HE KILLED HIM!" They managed to pry her off and Zelda embraced her tightly, pinning her arms to her sides as she still tried to squirm away. The Princess held hard as hysteria overcame her friend. Zelda would find out later from Link that Lord Harlan was still alive, if not severely injured, but was whisked away by shadows after this event – her friend was just far more important.

Hard tears ran down Ilia's face as she beat against Zelda's arms and bawled, "Elric! Elric!" Her body went limp as she lost energy to fight back and lamented,"You promised...You both promised he wouldn't get hurt!" She sobbed into the Princess's shoulder.

"I am so sorry," Zelda cried back.

"You should have let me kill him!" Ilia blubbered, voice a slow decrescendo as she fainted.

"You do not need the burden of taking another life," Zelda still whispered, checking her pulse. She had passed out from shock.

Link growled solemnly, "There's still a chance for justice." The sun was beginning to rise from the horizon – Viscount Osmar had blood on his hands.

…

Link carried Ilia back into the village where they were greeted with a deathly concerned Mayor Bo. He noticed his unconscious daughter and fell to his knees. "Praise the Gods she is safe!" He shouted, running up to check on her. "I thought she was kidnapped...Wh-Where is Elric?"

Princess Zelda returned to her usual clothing and stormed past him, on a mission. As the sun rose so did the people of Kakariko, and in nosy awe, they pooled out from their homes to watch the frightening Princess charge through. "Viscount!" She shouted from outside the Sanctuary. The crowd became interested.

Nonchalantly, he exited, acting confused and perplexed by her attitude – putting on a brilliant show for the rest of the Council. When he noticed everyone's eyes, he frowned, "Your Highness, what is–"

She pulled him out by the lapels of his shirt and dragged him outside, throwing him into the center of the crowd. He hit the ground hard, groaning in pain. Shaman Renado gasped, keeping his distance out of fear, "Princess Zelda, what in the name of Hylia are you doing?"

"He is kidnapping humans," She accused coldly, the crowd murmured.

His sapphire eyes widened in shock. "Are you crazy, why would I do that?"

Zelda looked up at the people around her and strongly explained, "His son, Lord Harlan is working with the shadows. Together they are using humans to turn them into their soldiers."

He helped himself up and fumed, "She's a liar!"

"That is why you killed the oracle. Because she knew your secret," He pulled himself up and she invaded his space, diadem catching the light of the rising sun as she roared, "Answer me!"

The crowd glanced between them in blooming anxiety. "You are crazy!" He played the victim, "Your 'ghosts' have driven you mad, Your Highness, this is exactly why you are unfit to be Queen."

"Why are you getting so defensive?" Link cut in, standing by Zelda's side.

"You are slandering my son and I's name!" He growled. The people were unsure which Hylian to believe, the charming Viscount, or the just Princess.

"What proof do you have?" A man from the crowd asked.

Lord Osmar laughed, "None! Why should you believe two deceitful Hylians, correct?" He manipulated the crowd. "You merely say what your father tells you to, don't you Princess? To win over their hearts?" She clenched her fists when their eyes glowed with belief.

"I saw it!" Link testified.

"Of course her lover would say that. Admit it Hero, you are biased." He opined, winning more minds over to false conspiracy. They were losing the crowd as their already deep-seeded prejudice muddled their reason. Zelda was out of ideas.

It was then that Ilia ran into the center, tears in her eyes. "He did it!" She pointed to Lord Osmar. He backed away in fear; they would trust a human's claims before his. "He and his son killed my love, I saw it with my own eyes!" Mayor Bo hurried in and caught her as she stumbled back, still dazed and disturbed. Her face was wet and red as she tried to beat him too. "Murderer! You damn traitor, I hope you burn with Demise!"

People cast spiteful glares in his direction, and he opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. Zelda took the chance to add, "I was once approached by his son with talk of relocating our human brethren to far off lands to keep their numbers small, which I refused religiously. The apple does not fall too far from the tree."

Viscount Osmar appeared panicked, and attempted to run from their prying eyes, but Link grabbed him. He cursed and thrashed about, speaking slurs and hatred. King Daphnes approached her and whispered, "We could still use him."

Zelda shook her head. "I have run out of mercy, I am afraid." She motioned for Link to force him on his knees, summoning her short blade and cutting off his long blond hair. The crowd hummed with excitement as he was stripped of his freedoms. He looked up at her fearfully and begged, "Princess, please, I made a mistake." She made no comment, so he continued, "What are you going to do to me?"

She paused, "May the Gods forgive you." Link and Zelda left him alone in the center of the crowd, walking away as they approached him. He shouted and screamed out as they dragged him away, but she never looked back to see where. The rest of the Council gathered around her, each one thinking to themselves how they could have been so blind. Telma was the first to speak, "What do we do now?"

Everyone was looking behind Zelda, and upon turning, she noticed Ilia staring at them, expression cold yet devoted. She wiped her tears away and declared, "I want...I wish to become an ambassador for the humans."

Mayor Bo gasped, "You do?"

"I-It's what Elric would have wanted," She clenched her fists, "I want to make...a difference. To stop this from happening again.

Alger didn't wait for the vote, he just handed her the pen to sign. She paused, possibly from seeing _his_ signature, and scribbled her name. She nodded, and headed to the clinic. Zelda wanted to run after her, but Link held her back. Ilia needed some space.

Impaz sighed proudly, "You did good against the humans Princess."

The Princess bit her lip, watching Ilia stumble away from the scene. "Not all of them."

…

"You may have sated them for now," Doctor Borville bandaged the last wound, "–but with King Daphnes around, there will always be distrust."

She would deal with that when they got there. She thanked him for the care and inquired, "Where is she?"

The Doctor paused before motioning out back. Zelda was not surprised to find Ilia sitting alone, head in her hands and knees up to her chest as she cried to herself. Zelda pulled out the brooch and held it tight, sitting beside her without a word. "W-What if I forget him," she sobbed, reaching up to pull at her hair. "Please Princess, I don't want to forget him!"

Zelda's heart broke at the alarm making itself home in Ilia's eyes. Princess Zelda held her hand out to her, and revealed the golden jewelry, whispering, "You won't."

Ilia's eyes lit up at the sight of it, the emerald gems mimicking her own shimmered with eternal recognition, and she covered her mouth in shock. She wept, "Elric…"

"He wanted me to give this to you," Princess Zelda helped her pin it to her shirt, "He will always be with you. Even if the mind forgets, the heart never does."

Ilia's face curled into a patchwork smile and she looked down at it lovingly, "T-Thank you Princess...Thank you so much…" She hugged Zelda and wept, telling stories of her beloved Elric absentmindedly. It was her way to keep his memory alive, by sharing it with others – Zelda happily listened.

* * *

 **Special thanks to: vaner15, imafangirlforever, Ultimate blazer, kansa, Ultimatedaywriter, Generala, Guest, SwordErised12934, Erin and Euivy**

 **Thank you all for reading! Your responses make this experience great! Hopefully not too many of you are mad at me after this chapter. Erin, thank you for taking the time out of your day to binge the story, I feel honored! Generala, you are right, Zelda is going through a lot, but she is definitely getting better, even if it's slow progress. Ultimate blazer, I've been meaning to say this, you're profile picture is adorable, thank you for consistently reviewing, you're the best! Kansa and Guest, thank you for leaving a review!**

 **So! The two year anniversary for Shards is coming up soon ( and by soon a mean a couple of months) and I was wondering, was there any kind of extra content you would be interested in? Characters or scenes drawn out, questions you'd like answered or things behind-the-scenes you'd like to see? My editor Sunny and I have something big planned, but would like to hear what you all are interested in seeing.**

 **A long standing ovation to my editor: SunnyAirisu222 - you helped raise my confidence when it came to this chapter, you the best 3**

 **Alrighty friends, don't forget to feed your pets and eat you veggies.**  
 **Don't forget to R &R, love you all, see ya!**


	25. Chapter 24

**Happy Halloween my lovelies! Be safe out there, try not to get too loaded up on sugar ;)**

* * *

She entered her room, shoulder covered in salty tears, only to find Link sitting absently on her bed. He peered up at her with grief circling his eyes, hand covering his mouth to stop everything from escaping. He didn't have to tell her; she suffered with him in this time of mourning. Without question, she approached him, pushing him down and laying beside him, releasing her own tears for her fallen friend.

They let Elric down – They let Ilia down.

Link and Zelda held on to one another tightly, afraid to let go. Imagining what Ilia must be going through knotted her guts and made her sick. She would die if Link suffered the same fate as Elric, so she kept him protectively in her arms. Link was so warm and alive – bless Hylia for this gift. Her body relaxed and eased in and out of consciousness, remorse being her alarm that woke her every few minutes, until she finally settled into the abyss.

 _The rose waded in the dark as two love birds flew past. She extended a leaf out to them, and they happily sang her songs of friendship and joy. The rose cared deeply for her precious love birds, the one with emerald plumage gave a ballad of good intentions for her partner, but the rose was so distracted by her music, that she neglected the male. He had disappeared, leaving behind small feathers where he once stood. The female lovebird stopped singing, and the rose was left with a song of regret and guilt._

 _Knock knock._

Zelda gasped, sitting up and scanning the room. Link was snoring soundly beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist tightening as he slowly woke up. She wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand. Another series of knocking came from her door.

"Princess Zelda?" It was King Daphnes.

Zelda scowled at the door frame before laying her head back onto her pillow, stopped by the harsh glare of two artic orbs. Link tilted his chin up at her, insisting she speak with her father. King Daphnes did sound weak, but she was tired. He glared at her. Link didn't understand, and she couldn't expect him to – as an orphan, he longed for the ability to bond or speak to his parents; he was innocent to the fact that not all are kind to their children.

"Princess Zelda?" His voice was growing more aggravated. Link touched her arm and gave it a gentle squeeze, imploring she hear him out as it seemed to be upsetting him.

"Please." Daphnes whispered, causing Link to practically kick her off the bed. She hit the floor with a thud and gaped, appalled that someone would dare shove a Princess out of her own bed! She glared daggers at him, but he winked at her, assured that she would thank him later. Zelda gathered herself up and gingerly ambled to the entrance.

"What do you what." She frigidly sneered, opening the door just a crack.

King Daphnes stood two feet tall, weak and old, shaking it away with his head and putting on a mask of pure dominance. He cleared his throat, "I request an audience with the Princess."

She raised her nose at him. Was he mocking her? "I am afraid I must decline, as I am tired nor do I wish to see you right now." She rushed to close the door but he jutted his foot in the sill.

He frowned, veins blue in his forehead, "Then I wish to have a word with my daughter."

They battled with their eyes, but she gave in to the heart in his plea. Cautiously, she followed him, the rising sun painting the skies a fiery pink. Hardly anyone was up, but those who did wake with the cucco's call leered at the monarchs. They headed to the watch tower and climbed up staircase after staircase until they were comfortably on the roof.

King Daphnes moved to stand near the ledge facing east, the dilapidated castle consumed by the sun's light in the distance. She pursed her lips and announced, "If you kill me up here, I swear to haunt you for eternity."

He gave a loud, genuine laugh of amusement, and although she wasn't joking, the stone Princess was coaxed into cracking a small smile. When his chuckled subsided, he sighed, "...I am a...very unhappy person."

The way he spoke so honestly made her shiver. He disclosed, "I was the son of one of Hyrule's greatest leaders: a Queen who destroyed Kings even before she took the throne; and the next in a proud lineage of Kings who fought for glory...Maybe it was the storybooks I was read, or the hundreds of people who assured me I was destined for a great and easy reign –" He shook his head, "I tried so hard to be what was expected of me, to expand Hyrule's reach just like all the other kings with Hylia's intentions in mind...Maybe that was why I felt so cheated when you were born."

Princess Zelda frowned, but let him continue. "My offspring was the next Hylia reborn – the first to be birthed so close to another – and that was going to mark the beginning of my era. I would raise this child to take her spot as Queen after I did what I was destined to do, but what happens? My own mother revokes my birthright and places it on an infant?"

Alger's words washed over her, and her brows furrowed. He divulged before she had time to think, "Mother always loved you more than me. Maybe it was because I was a greedy and lustful boy, but that is only because I was expected to be this way – a King without drive is useless...You must be wondering why I am telling you this."

He looked over his shoulder at her, but didn't see her. He was blinded by thought, and dirt from buried emotions. Zelda nodded, "Continue, if you must."

His knuckles threatened to rip out of his flesh. "When I was locked in the Castle dungeon, I realized how meaningless my existence is. I finally accepted how little I did for this Kingdom, because no matter how hard I tried to fictionalize it, it was still a lie. Even with the position I was promised, I did nothing! When you were stuck in your coma, I saw something every parent feared; you were at death's door and all I held was uncontrollable guilt I couldn't understand." He sighed, "I cannot keep pretending...I did not cry when you mother died, nor when mine did...but you – Princess Zelda, you cried for both of them equally even when I told you not to." He gave a long pause, "I envied your compassion, and the love you held, a feeling I still don't understand."

Princess Zelda stepped forward.

"I know," he swallowed his pride, "How unfair to you I have been. It will not undo my wrongs, but you should know that I did it out of jealousy and fear that you would be loved far more than I ever would. And it is true. You were destined to care for these people, not me, because their quarrels with me can never be resolved. You have always shown the makings of a Queen, but I actively stifled and invalidated that trait by taking it away from you...I know you suffer with the world's guilt, and after acknowledging the small piece that I held in my heart, I hold a greater respect for you."

He turned to face her, face red and eyes misty as he pulled folded parchment from within his coat. She raised a brow at him as he opened it, facing its intricate letters in her direction. She let loose a gasp, stiffening as he held the only thing that kept her throne so far away. She looked up at him, baffled and unsure.

"It was the first thing I took before leaving the castle," He closed his deep set eyes, "That way, when the dust settled, I would still be able to control you. Now I understand that the only we get out of this mess is if I stop dictating your life."

"What are you–"

He ripped the parchment into tiny pieces and let them drift gently onto the floor below them. Princess Zelda opened her mouth in disbelief, heart jumping in exuberance but mind stuck. She looked at the insignificant pieces of paper and thought of how much power it once had over her. She looked at King Daphnes who lit up, and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

He laughed. "All these rules and law, just fragile words on an equally fragile material." He smiled sadly, "Do you remember your tenth birthday?"

She nodded.

"I gave you the last red rose of fall. Seeing your face light up at the gift may have been the only time I felt truly happy...I am sorry I was not a better father, better son... better anything...But I am tired now, and these people will never listen to you with me around."

He took a step back and Zelda held out a hand to him in concern, but he kept smiling, without a sliver of provocation. "I understand if you hate me. For I hate myself."

"Grandmother told me often how much she loved you," Zelda lied, "She asked me to take care of you, do not be stupid –"

He knew she was feeding him false truths, but smiled even wider. She held both her hands out to him as he inched backwards again, but a huge gust of wind caused her to shield her eyes from the dust. Looking up, the pieces of paper danced in the wind happily at peace, the King nowhere to be found. In the spot he once stood was his crown and coat, and under both was single chess piece: his King.

She dropped to her knees and held it in her hand, looking up at the shreds now traveling the breeze. " I am glad you are at peace," she smiled, "And someday I will learn to cry for you just as I did the others...Father."

Princess Zelda stood up, and taking his coat and crown, placed them on a post atop the tower like a flag, watching as the people down below gathered curiously. There was a pregnant silence. Maybe she was too numb from one death in her life, or maybe a few happy memories weren't good enough to cry over – but she felt very leveled. This must have been bothering him for a while...Wait, what was this feeling?

Tears poured from her eyes without her control, nose growing stuffed as she sniffled all the way down. Was the body ready to mourn when the mind wasn't? She exited the tower and stopped, Alger standing outside with a terrified look. Sadness gushed from his eyes as he looked up, and upon noticing her presence, his broken-hearted orbs pleaded her to say it was a hoax.

She understood and approached him.

Alger broke down, and Zelda rushed to hold him. They both cried, and she came to terms that people are not so black and white. There is no true good and evil in a man's heart, only varying shades of grey, and she only barely understood those she once called enemies.

…

"We will continue searching for the last goddess." Princess Zelda announced to the Council, leaning over the map to point at the Desert. "It is a lot of territory to cover, but I am convinced she is somewhere here."

"Princess Zelda," Mayor Bo began gingerly, "We don't need a morning meeting, if you'd rather take the day, we'd understand–"

"Just because King Daphnes is dead? We can mourn for the fallen when this war is won."

Ilia, seated beside her father with her brooch glistening in the torch light, nodded, "Elric wouldn't want us to stop progress for him either."

The group was uncomfortable, the only one unfazed was an eager Lord Kemp who slammed his fist down on the table and roared, "To the deserts then!"

"There is only one way in now," Zelda turned to Link who then glanced at Auru.

"The Flight-by-Fowl," The ex-professor explained.

King Ralis's luminescent eyes widened as he exclaimed, "That is in the Lake!"

Regis uncrossed his arms and wondered with starry eyes, "Are you saying you are going to enter Lake Hylia?"

Princess Zelda nodded, but motioned for Ashei to continue the conversation. "We have a reason to believe there is another oracle hiding in a fort located in the Lake. Our forces would like to safely escort the Princess and a small party of her choosing to the Flight-by-Fowl, while a seperate group apprehends the oracle and possibly finds a way to clean the water in the Zora Domain."

"We shall help!" King Ralis jumped up happily, "We have plenty of soldiers left – You shall need their knowledge of the terrain!"

"Begin the necessary preparations," Ashei informed, "We head out sometime next week, that gives your men plenty of time to train with ours." The young Zora king hummed with energy, the only light within the darkness of melancholy in the room. Zelda allowed them to make plans with one another – or rather, she found her mind too heavy to really focus on giving her own opinions.

Many frowned with her: Ilia and Alger just as woebegone and broken spirited. The Ordonian woman had entered the room with towering confidence, but Zelda could see beneath the mask a person falling apart at the seams. Losing the man you love – just thinking about it made Zelda sick to her stomach. Her insides knotted with guilt, and she had to look away.

Alger was more transparent, plumage dull as he tried to do his job. Watching them both made her feel ashamed: Shouldn't she be distraught as well? She took this question with her after the meeting, and replayed it in her mind over and over again as she covered her head with a black veil. Naru and Fuana were curious as to why she wore such strange clothing, and as she placed the ebony lace around Naru's face, she sighed, "It is called mourning, little one."

"I thought you didn't like the guy." she stated out of confusion rather than rudeness.

Princess Zelda removed her jewels and set them softly on her bed. "He was a King of Hyrule, and will be honored appropriately."

"Y-You are to cover your hair and abstain from a lavish lifestyle for three days. To appease the Gods and aid your father's entry entry into the next life," Fuana jotted in her notebook, "Death r-rituals are strange."

Zelda beckoned the two and smoothed down their shirts, caringly rubbing their arms as she wrapped black satin shawls over their shoulders. They looked at her, Naru holding her heart in her hands as she wondered why the princess seemed so solemn. How could she answer a question she did not know the answer to? Like her grandmother did the day her mother died, Zelda explained the ritual in careful detail. "When the Goddesses left this world, and the sky was shrouded in blackness, Hylia hid herself from the prying eyes of those who wished to do her harm. The great demon Demise travelled the skies, and using a cloth made from Nayru's skirts, Hylia wandered the plains, hiding the sunlight in her hair. For three days, she ventured in darkness, waiting for her strength to come, and on the third day, the sun began to rise. We honor our parents by hiding from bad omens and mourn just as Hylia did, that way we may emerge with light guiding their lineage to prosperity." Princess Zelda touched their faces lovingly, "Someday I will die, and my children shall do the same. With death comes life; a perfect balance, even if it does not feel like it."

Fuana grabbed the Princess's gloved hand and jumped, "I-I'll wear a veil for you!"

Naru gasped before pouting, "No, I wanna do it!" They began to bicker and Zelda clicked her tongue at them, snapping the two into attention.

"When a King dies, these days must be met with silence," She shushed them.

Naru mumbled, "I thought you didn't like him though."

Zelda frowned, "We must not speak ill of the dead, little one." But she was right. Why did she care about the integrity of the rite for a man she once hated? She took their hands and exited her chambers, heading for the Sanctuary where the people gathered, all donning a single piece of black as the priestesses hummed a soft tune like the breeze. Honoring her father's memory by being a devout daughter – it felt just as disingenuous as when her mother died. She did not cry this time, she would not waste them on him. He was sad man, troubled in ways she would never understand, and attempted to do right by her and his people. She would respect him for that, but the wounds were too deep to forget. Someday she would learn to properly mourn for her father, but today she would play the role perfectly.

Naru and Fuana stayed by her side the whole ceremony. The Faron Virgins led worship, singing hymns to ward off evil spirits in his name, using his crown as an symbol for his spirit. The girls were growing bored and restless, just like the rest of the crowd covered in grey by the lense of her veil. They handed her an ocarina so she could play the song of her family, nearly falling asleep at the music she once called a lullaby as a child. As the wake came to an end, the people removed their somber looks to glow with curiosity. They peered at Zelda, and she at them – Link coming to her side protectively as they approached.

"Does this mean," A man grew the courage to ask, " _You_ are now Queen?"

Each pair of eyes were different. Some wished for her fail, others looked to her as a savior, but most were just unsure. How did she wish to perceived by her people? She couldn't please everyone. Her muscles tightened as she tried to speak, the Queen's trophies flashed in her thoughts. Conquest or birthright, what did they want? What did she want?

Naru tapped her hand, noticing her lack of answer. She looked to both the girls; their innocent concern warming her stiff body. Why not be honest and speak simply, just as you would to a child? Zelda turned her attention to the crowd of anxious people, Alger already handing her the quill in defeat. She hid nothing from them, announcing firmly, "They say when a King dies that Hyrule enters an Age of sorrow and darkness."

They began to listen intently.

"It seems then, that my father has been dead for many years," Zelda paused, "I will fulfill my birthright, but what use will it be if there is not a Kingdom to rule? I will continue to act as your leader, and once our enemies are defeated and Hyrule is safe, I will emerge as your Queen. Politics need not interest us, we have a home to save."

…

She locked the door behind her and sighed, turning to her stagnant room in exhaustion. She would spend three days in her chambers, completely alone, and pray for the soul of her father. Impaz would be the only one allowed to visit her to bring food and water – she was to stay isolated while she mourned.

Princess Zelda began to remove her clothes and slip into her more comfortable nightgown, skin still dewy from the nervous sweat of her announcement. Her people were content with her answer to their questions, but she was still apprehensive. Resituating her black veil, the determined monarch slowly sat in the center of the room, fighting the urge to fan herself obsessively. All her suffering and boredom needed to be offered up to Hylia in order to help her father pass into the spirit world.

She clasped her hands together and bowed her head, entering a state of meditation. Her breathing steadied, body swaying with the unseen waves that rocked her. "Blessed Nayru–"  
A loud thump, as if someone had flung themself at the door, made her jump. "I'm here, what do you need!" Naru shouted from the other side eagerly.

Zelda cringed, "I was praying, little one, I was not speaking to…" She bit her lip, "Nevermind, go on now." Nayru and Farore were definitely off limits now; the last thing she needed were those children in her head.

The Princess gathered herself once more and began, "Blessed Din. We know you are out there, I have heard your call. Please wait for us – may the shadows not know of your existence yet." After about an hour of standard prayer sprinkled with personal requests, the Princess ached with boredom. She struggled to stay focused after the two hour mark, especially when she heard her friends laughing and enjoying themselves below. Never had she wanted to wiggle out from prayer like a child avoiding nap time, and that frustrated her. She was feeling out of character.

 _You are feeling free_ , She thought to herself. But since when had she developed animosity toward what she wanted most?

 _Since your Goliath was slain by another hand – the hands of fate._

She shook the thought away; she was not upset by her father's death, especially not the way it came to be.

 _Admit it, you wanted to end him yourself._

The Queen's snarling smile appeared in the shadow of her eyelids, and Zelda's eyes jumped open. A cold sweat crawled down her body as she tried to regain serenity.

"No," she mumbled accidentally. Maybe she imagined that the day she gained her birthright would be a triumphant one, with her charging up to him with passion and courage as he groveled in a guilt she instilled by opening his eyes to the truth. A great dramatic show of her standing up to him and taking charge – but she didn't get that, did she.

 _Your position was the effect of his death. He had the final checkmate._

No, the voice was wrong! She was no such thing! Zelda's hands shook as she began to feel small, like a throwaway pawn on a chessboard. The woman inside her head spoke against her ear harshly, calling her names and pulling her hair. Panic rose from the pit of her being, and she knew what followed, so she yanked herself away from the ghost's grasp and crawled to her dresser, producing a half empty bottle that she drank religiously. The burning down her throat brought reality to her eyes before numbing into nothing. It took her slowly, filling her ears with cotton as the world moved sluggishly. She leaned against her bed and rested with her eyes open, holding the bottle as if it were holy water. She entered a stupor.

The next day was much harder to deal with. Not only had her bottle run dry, but so had her prayers. Sitting in the room, legs folded underneath her, she groaned loudly and hit her forehead on the wooden flooring. She vocalized, but it was harmonized with another deep sound. With her face still close to the floor, she peered up, and to her surprise, saw an eye looking back at her from underneath the door. They widened, and whoever was bent over stood up.

"Link?" She gasped, slowly crawling toward the door.

He grunted, his eye reappeared, visible skin slightly blushed.

Her chest warmed, "You are not allowed to have contact with me; luxuries are forbidden during this rite."

He must have sat up and leaned against the door, for a shadow appeared within the crack. He made a sound of concern – he had been sitting there a long time it seemed, making sure she was alright during her isolation. Link made no attempt leaving, and she yearned to press her hands against the wood to possibly feel his warmth through the door.

She ultimately thought against it – having him so near was both comforting and stressful. Returning to her position, she grabbed her empty bottle and frowned. She felt shameful, and concerned that her only potion capable of silencing the ghosts was gone.

 _Pathetic_.

She brought her knees up to her chest, and rubbed her skin that felt like pins and needles. It was growing, the anxiety and fear, and the stress of expecting it was causing it to move even faster. She bit back the urge to cry out to Link; she couldn't remember how to speak.

 _The male lovebird sang so happily around his partner, feathers shimmering as he flew joyfully in the sky. The rose was so proud of her lovebirds, but was mortified as the male turned into a flurry of blackened feathers, falling to her feet to lay amongst her trimmed rose bushes._

Was that red on her hands from the candlelight? Run, she needed to run.

 _The imp showed indifference to her unsure claim of her decision being right, thinking the rose a pitiful creature worthy of pity. The snake – The shadow hid her from the sun, leaving her to wilt and die._

Past and present melted together, she was lost in time. Spirits pulled at her hair and whispered insults – she could practically see the Queen's murderous eyes judging her.

 _Stop fighting it,_ she whispered against her ear.

She fought the urge to cry and stared blankly at nothing, her fingers loosening their grip on her brown strands.

 _A woman, formed from a memory created by a painting, looked at her with disinterest. She knew this woman once, her beautifully blonde hair being the only real image she had. The rose bud cried out to her as a fearful Queen painted her petals a deep blood red; death burned her nostrils._

Zelda grabbed the bottle desperately only to throw it under the bed.

 _The tree, the woman, and the Queen all hurled sharp words her way, and the bodies piled up to her corolla. The rose was crumbling under their weight._

Zelda curled up on the floor as the world felt heavy.

 _She was being torn apart, doubt eating away at her like root rot._

Daphnes was right, she was not mentally ready for any of this!

 _Friends, compatriots, family, none were safe from the pathogen she carried._

Link's words echoed in her mind, he wanted to her to fight it, but it only smacked her harder. She limped, tired of fighting, letting the flurry of emotions run freely. They wrecked the home inside her mind, but got bored fairly quickly, leaving her without a fight. Princess Zelda opened her eyes, and peered past the bleariness at the door, body relaxing once more.

She sacrificed a gander at her hands, no marks, no interference from Link. It made its mess and left. She gathered herself, working gently to clean back up, head still sore and heart raw from pain. She was alone.

Link knocked, "Are you okay?"

She cleared her throat, "Yes." And this time, she was sure it wasn't a lie.

…

When the third and final day of mourning came to an end, Link was the first to see her. She smelt of sweat and unwashed clothing, but his athirst for her spoke louder than his nose. He kissed her fervently, and would have continued to do so if the girls hadn't interrupted his checking for wounds around her body. The girls both talked at once, so Zelda had no idea what they were trying to communicate, but was nonetheless happy to see their vibrant little faces.

Fuana reached into her pocket to remove a supplement vial, but clumsily dropped it. Zelda watched as she bent over to grab it, and jolted to snatch it instead, stopping Fuana from looking under the bed. Zelda's face reddened as she remembered the empty bottle resting in the shadows. The last thing she needed was for them to worry about nothing.

"Thank you little one," she coughed.

Naru perked up and announced, "We're all packed up Princess!"

Zelda raised a brow, "For what?"

"Lady Ashei s-s-said we are l-leaving for the Desert tomorrow," Fuana averted her gaze to the floor nervously. Zelda repositioned her diadem on her forehead and hummed in awe. They were very eager to jump into battle, but she supposed it only made sense. The Zoras wished to have their home back, the people wished to avenge their fallen brothers. She couldn't deny her own eagerness to storm the Lake, laced with inner worries.

Princess Zelda asked the girls to show what they packed, making sure they kept things light and brought only the essentials. Who knew how long they would be there, searching for the mystery girl amongst the sand dunes.

In the children's chambers, Colin, Beth, and Talo observed the preparations with keen interest. Naru kept bragging, "Yeah, Imma help out in an adventure."

Talo laughed, "You're gonna get lost, I call it."

Naru smacked his arm, and Colin gasped fearfully. "Please be careful out there."

Beth nodded, "I heard there's pretty jewels in the Desert. Could you bring me one?"

"Sure!" The blue child narrowed her eyes mischievously, "Only if you let me play Princess Zelda."

Beth's round cheeks turned red and her nose scrunched angrily. "No way!" Her whine was loud like a young pup.

The monarch chuckled at their childish antics while removing rocks with painted faces from Naru's rucksack. Fuana was trying to decide which notebook to bring with her, only allowing Luda to interrupt her train of thought. She informed the ebony-haired girl, "The d-doctor needs his medicine every morning, he w-will fight you on it. Be persistent."

Luda nodded, "Don't worry about him, I'll take care of the old grump." The two giggled, and Zelda ended up organizing her pack as well. The chamber hummed with youthful energy as the children discussed the trip as if it were a vacation. The Princess left them to enjoy their company and headed to the bar where Ilia sat silently. Telma greeted Zelda with her expressive seaweed-green eyes and plump features. The robust woman implored her to sit with a single motion of her arm, and Zelda followed.

"The Gerudo Desert. Sounds exciting," Telma grinned, "You know, I have some Gerudo in me. Yeah, my great grandmother was the last of the tribe before they went extinct – wiped out by some natural disaster or something? I don't know – nor do I care, but I hope you find this girl quick. Last I heard, a lot of kingdoms use the deserts illegally to transport goods. But I mean, we don't use it ourselves so I don't see an issue."

Zelda shrugged her shoulders, "Territory lines are a bit blurred there, but our mission is not to enforce transportation tariffs. I just hope bandits are not a problem."

It was then that Ilia turned her head, maybe too deep in thought to have noticed the princess before she mentioned bandits. She appeared tired, not yet lucid from her nightmare, pretending to hold it together while her red eyes screamed for help. She grabbed her brooch protectively and frowned, "Take care of each other out there...Please come back safely."

Zelda felt sick.

"How're you holding up baby?" Telma leaned on the bar table and pushed a short strand of blonde hair behind her rounded ear.

Ilia released a pitiful laugh, "I don't know."

Telma and Zelda exchanged glances.

"I think I'll go to bed." She stepped off her stool and rubbed her jade eyes. Her legs wobbled weakly, and Zelda grabbed her arm so she didn't fall over.

"Ilia, I–" Zelda paused when diving into the tired orbs of her friend. Ilia slackened, tears falling in heavy rains down her face. Guilt rendered her mute.

The Ordonian woman shook her head. "You don't need to apologize...Just come back. Auru says it's easy to get lost in the Desert, and I don't need to lose anyone else."

She stumbled away, leaving the bar maid and Princess in uncomfortable silence. Telma queried in, "What about you doll? And don't you go walking away all sad too."

"I am doing better," she ran her finger over the coarse cork of a nearby bottle. Her leg jittered anxiously; she was low on supply. She cleared her throat, "I need another bottle."

Telma perked up, "Of?"

Her expression was of innocent curiosity, but Zelda felt ashamed asking for something for her own pleasure. She didn't need to, but felt inclined to say, "Wine. For religious ceremonies. I heard the Virgins say they were low."

The broad woman's painted lips went "Oh" as she grabbed a few bottles of fermented grapes. Cheerfully, she handed them to the Princess and assured, "I'm not sure how much those hard working girls need, so feel free to pick up more when necessary."

Zelda's throat felt upsettingly dry, a seductive voice in the back of her head telling her this yearning was completely normal. She took the cool flagons with a smile, but avoided eye contact. Telma happened to knock something onto the floor, cursing as she went to pick it up. Zelda wasted no time sneaking up into her room, making sure no one saw her handful of vintage. Gods she felt like a dirty thief, like a child who stole a cookie without their parents knowing. But was it really a lie? She never said she was _giving_ it to the Virgins, only that it was needed for a religious ceremony and that she _heard_ they were running low – exorcising demons from her mind was religious in nature. This wasn't right.

She planned to return them to the bar just as a soft knock spooked her. She hastened to hide the spirits in her dresser and announced, "Come in."

Link grinned, coming in to check up on her. His eyes scanned the room, he must have sensed something was off. He was on to her, he knew she was hiding something. He approached her and she froze. His lips began to form a question, he was going to ask her about why she looked so guilty.

"Ready for dinner?" He beamed lovingly, "I've missed sitting next to you."

…

Link carried a half-sleeping Fuana in his arms and set her softly into the wooden cart pulled by a tired Epona. Princess Zelda told Naru to keep quiet while the girl slept, helping her up and placing their rucksacks beside them. The early morning air was freezing and the sky drenched in navy. Soldiers: Hylian, human, and Zora alike were already marching for the Domain – citizens peeking from their homes to watch proudly as their little army headed out.

Earl Kemp was leading them forward, Ashei staying behind to guide the Princess and her caravan. Sutter was to join them as well, making himself comfy across from Zelda in the cart. Link mounted Epona, and Ashei began giving him directions.

"We'll be coming from the South," she explained, "Our troops will keep the enemies busy in the North. When we arrive at Lake Hylia, Sergeant Sutter will escort you to the Flight-by-Fowl while I return to my men. Then it's all up to you four."

Naru latched onto Zelda's arm, features slightly frightened when Epona started trotting. The Princess pulled out a pair of small leather boots and began dressing Naru's dirt covered feet. The little goddess groaned and complained about having her toes confined to such a small place, but Zelda assured her burning sand was nothing like mud or grass. Everyone was silent – from fatigue or mediation, she wasn't sure. Sutter seemed to be sleeping with his eyes open, and even Ashei was elsewhere.

When the Great Bridge of Hylia was in sight, everyone awoke from their mental slumbers and gaped at the sheer power that radiated off the Hyrulean architecture. Its tall arches and detailed motifs contrasted with the misrepresented bleakness down below. The once pristine waters were a polluted black that moved like bubbling tar. Zelda frowned, and Ashei warned, "Don't touch the water. It will turn you into a shadow instantly."

The poisoned liquid seemed to avoid Lanayru Spring, and Zelda prayed the Great Spirit was safe. Naru's eyes were locked on the cave mouth, thick brows furrowed in concern. Princess Zelda rubbed her back, nurturing the child with assurance and support. Link pointed out a grassy platform, where a large machine in the shape of a metallic bird nested amongst shadowy figures. That was their goal – their one way ticket to the Desert.

"I do not know how long we will be there." Zelda informed Ashei candidly. "Try to make sure another riot does not break out while I am away."

Ashei laughed, but the Princess didn't mean for it to be a joke. There was a loud boom relatively close to where they stood, and the Captain of the Guard smiled in victory. "It's begun," she hummed.

"Please be careful, my friend." Zelda pressed.

Ashei smiled, "We'll be fine. When you come back, this Lake will be so clear you could see every rock at the bottom while reading Shad's recounting of a battle easily won. We won't let you down."

Sutter grabbed Zelda's arm gingerly. "Your Highness, we must go."

Ashei saluted them and ran toward the commotion, the others following Sutter to an old Zora passage through the hills. Fuana insisted Link carry her so she could keep up, and when Naru saw this, she wouldn't stay quiet until Zelda did the same. They snuck through the bushes to the Lake beach, shadows hurriedly racing to the noises across the water. Sutter led them, single file to the Flight-by-Fowl, the stench of rancid water choking them up. The building was empty and the metal shingles damaged from days without care.

"There it is," Sutter directed, drawing his sword when the sound of wet boots rippled behind them. "Go!" He commanded forcefully, and Link pushed them to stand before the machine.

She opened the door into a tight empty room, wondering how it worked. Link shoved them in, carefully saying, "Watch the landing."

The doors shut and an odd melody emanated from outside, and before she could question what came next, they were shot painfully into the air; all four of them screaming for dear life as the hot sands approached them.

* * *

 **Speical Thanks to:**  
 **TheMdogs, Nevaeth, AxelDrevbon, Ultimate blazer, Guest, Generala, and kansa**

 **I am so sorry to keep the sad vibes going, Ultimate blazer, Generala and kansa I didn't mean to make you so sad - everything has a purpose though. AxelDrevbon thank you very much for the kind words!**

 **So, King Daphnes is officially dead. I had asked you all long ago if you though he was redeemable, and I wonder: has your opinion changed? Was he a jerk until the end? Was his action valiant, or are you glad he's gone? I'm curious to hear what you all think :)**

 **Don't forget to leave a review of any kind of comment, question,or concern, I love you hear from you!**  
 **See you all next month!**


	26. Chapter 25

Mortals were not intended to fly.

If Nayru thought it necessary to have Hylians soar about the skies, she would have asked Farore to construct them wings; yet here they were, going against the Gods' wishes like rebellious little children. Princess Zelda did not like being this high, nor did she like being shot out of a cannon, but at the moment, it was the least of her worries. She saw the golden sands below, her stomach flipping at the realization that what comes up must come down.

Like an agile cat, she twisted and positioned herself to land gracefully into the terrain; although her boots were lodged into the granules, and she fell back onto her rump with a yelp. Already the sun was beating down on her, a heat unlike any other making her melt like ice cubes. Her skin began to cook and her energy was drained. Link plopped down near her, Naru and Fuana using him to break their fall. They rolled off him, and he shook the sand from his face aggressively. Naru removed her shoes rebelliously, but hissed in pain as she found the sand hot and left blisters on her soles. Zelda quickly crawled over and snatched the clothing from the ground.

"No!" she moaned, "I hate feeling my toes squished together!"

Zelda sternly replied, "You will get blisters, little one. Offer it up."

She began lacing the shoes while listening to Fuana invented noises of interest and curiosity. The girl with herbal hair was staring back at the expansive Hyrule to the East, the Domain glowing like an oasis even with its polluted waters. Her lips drooped, and she removed her glasses to better rub her eyes as she mumbled, "Papa would have loved to see this."

Zelda frowned sorely, handing the girls hooded cloaks to save their skin from the sun's rays. You wouldn't have thought this desert was part of Hyrule – lacking life and movement except for an occasional gust of wind. Dunes replaced tall mountains, the sky so blue it made her thirst. The sand was coarse and burned like lit coals, various hues of yellow making her head spin.

"Whoa, what's that place?" Naru gasped in wonder at the large stone colosseum with towers reaching the heavens in the distance. Link was gazing at it, mind adrift as his eyes traced the monument tenderly.

"Arbiter's Grounds," Princess Zelda swallowed the lump in her throat and warned, "It is a haunted place, where the wicked went to be judged by Hylia for their sins." Link disagreed with her venomous tone, but thought she had forgotten the martyr who left this world to save theirs.

 _I…See you later…_

She didn't forget; how could she? Zelda knew that was the last place they saw Midna, her beautiful figure disappearing like snowflakes landing on warm skin – her sultry red eyes spilling hopeful tears that would make the roughest man melt. Princess Zelda was angry for no reason, or so she told herself – if she was being honest, she would have diagnosed this parasite eating at her mood as Jealousy. Link wanted to head for the Grounds, but she began tracking West, firm in her belief that the girl would be traveling amongst merchant caravans. That was the truth, but the way she went about it was foolish, and she acknowledged it deep down. It would have been smart to investigate the places they knew first, even if her emotions screamed to go in the other direction.

Link didn't question her, but she knew he should have.

…

A hot wind roasted their flesh as they traveled across never-ending sandy plains, skin drowning in sweat and eyes strained from abusive light. They'd been traveling by foot, heading for a plateau marked on the map as the outskirts of the Mesa. There they would rest for the night and continue in the morning. Naru had, at one point, exclaimed that she saw a pool nearby, but Zelda sadly informed her that was a mirage. Link was smart enough to carry a bottle of water, and handed it to the children and Zelda before taking a sip himself.

The golden wasteland. It was abrasive and tiring, making her frustrated each time her boot was engulfed by its sands. She covered her face as a gust of wind attempted to blind her, Fuana spit out the grains that coated her lips.

The floral girl seemed to be the only one still pleased with being in the Desert, even after falling over twice while attempting to scribble in her notebook. They ran into a few xerocole which grabbed her attention – she used all her willpower to not chase after the creatures she knew nothing about. The day was dragging out slowly, and as the sun began to set, the flaxen sea burned with a fiery red. Yardangs caused the winds to howl, and the plateau lit like a torch with the remaining light of day. The ground around it was like pavement, rocks and twigs used to signify the start of their nest.

"We rest here for the night," Zelda announced, looking to Link for guidance on how to defend themselves from the elements. Before Naru could sit and leisure like she wanted to, he instructed her to grab the dry twigs and bring them to him. She begrudgingly did so, Fuana weathering the brunt of her small yet ferocious wrath when she discovered the scholar investigating beetles instead of helping.

"Little ones, please," Zelda badgered, "There is no need to fight."

Link gathered up the sticks Naru found and carefully kindled a fire, the girls hissing at the heat it radiated.

"It's nice and cool now Big Brother, why would you make it hot again?" Naru threw off her cloak and pushed it far away from him while she groaned. He wrapped it around her body again and grunted, assuring that her opinions would change, as he was right. When the sun set, the land was veiled in icy shadow, winds once torrid and blanketing, now frigid and unfriendly. The stars shone brightly above them, but even their immense numbers couldn't stop the bitter loneliness from creeping up the Princess's spine.

The desert was empty and foreign to her, even with her small group near. Link handed them all warm soups made with simple ingredients, and they ate in silence. They were exhausted already, eyes struggling to stay open once their bellies filled. Link's mind was elsewhere, his head kept glancing back over his shoulder every few minutes. He was checking for predators, but that manipulative voice in her head kept regurgitating over and over again that another woman influenced his actions.

"P-Princess?" Fuana hesitated, gripping her bowl tightly.

"Yes, little one?" She perked up, watching her from across the flames.

Her almond eyes diverted to the side as she mustered the confidence to ponder inquisitively , "I wanted to know, what was it like...being p-possessed."

Link's attention was quickly grabbed, and Zelda sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap, lips drawn into a fine line as she found the right words. Maybe it was time to truly talk about it, for once. Link touched her arm, the memory was as much his as it was hers, but she assured him she was alright.

Fuana was already beginning to regret the question, but Zelda did not want to punish curiosity. She specified, "It is very...complex, to say the least."

Memory of the crowds' bitter comments and whispers at the dinner tables were drowned out by her own speaking. She would replace ignorance with fact – she could do this. Zelda gathered herself and began to relate, "I suppose context would make the explanation easier. I assume Luda told you of my experience?"

She nodded.

"...I did it for Hyrule," her stomach twisted, "And for a friend...Her name was Midna, and...and she was dying." Her hands clenched as she recalled the pleading gaze from Link's animalistic eyes, "To save her life, I had to abandon my body and merge my spirit with hers, and purge the light by absorbing it myself. It left me in a state of limbo, not yet dead but never truly alive." Her hand went up to rub her neck as the memory of black veins pained her. "Ganondorf took my body as his own, and all I felt was cold as I hovered between worlds. It was not until Midna returned to my body that I fought for control, but it was too late. My limbs were not my own, but like a ventriloquist's dummy, as Ganondorf attacked those I cared for...It was horrible, not having control over yourself."

Link scooted closer, and Fuana's orbs glistened in fear. The Princess frowned, "Possession makes you do things you never wished to, little one–"

"So you can't blame someone for something they couldn't control," Link added, but only stared at Zelda with a soft smile.

She agreed, reassuring him that her guilt was no longer. "It is time to sleep now, little ones. We continue our quest when the sun rises."

The girls groaned before laying their heads on their uncomfortable rucksacks and closing their eyes. Link remained sitting upright, looking up at the stars calmly. The Princess lay on her side and watched him curiously, "Are you not going to sleep?"

He was going to stay awake and keep watch for the night. He took his hat and placed it on her head, trying to keep her warm, and implored her to sleep soundly. She rolled over so her back was to him, that way he wouldn't notice her sleepless night. She just listened to his breath, and drew patterns in the sand, ghosts of the desert howling with the wind.

…

They would keep heading West. As long as they followed the sun, they would have a sense of direction, and every step taken into the sand filled Zelda with a powerful determination. Her gut urged her to move farther, even if it meant carrying Naru on her back as the child grew exhausted.

"I spy something...yellow," The blue haired nymphet chuckled to herself when Fuana's small mouth pursed in annoyance.

"Sand. Yet again." She scratched her chin in genuine thought, "I spy something gaseous."

Naru fussed about the choice of descriptor, but Zelda tuned them out. Link nudged her, imploring that she let him carry the girl instead, but Zelda shook her head no. Even with the heat beating down on her body, she felt strong enough to carry one. He smirked at her, half ridiculing what he interpreted as her proving herself to him.

She bumped him with her hip, "How much food do we have left?"

He wiped the sweat off his burnt brow with the back of his hand. "A few more days."

Zelda frowned, "If we do not find her soon, we may have to return to Hyrule and try again."

"I spy," Fuana gasped, "Something wooden!"

The adults exchanged looks, scanning the horizon nervously, not wanting to get their hopes up. There was, in fact, something wooden victim to time and harsh winds about half a mile away. They approached the knocked-over cart partially lodged into a sand dune, and inspected it thoroughly. It was on its side, materials brittle like bone and supplies either looted or buried. Gashes along the folding head appeared offensive in nature, a huge hole gutted the once travelling caravan. "It is fairly old," Princess Zelda frowned, running her hand over the remnants of a flag variant unfamiliar to her. "It must have belonged to another kingdom from many years ago."

"Is that bad?" Fuana frowned.

Zelda shook her head, "Quite the opposite. We must be close to a trade route if this is here. The other goddess might even be part of this kingdom."

The party didn't share her optimism.

"Can we take a break?" Naru wondered, acting as a mouthpiece for the group. Link appeared tired as well, motioning to the shade casted by the damaged caravan. Zelda frowned, setting the girl down off her back and crossing her arms. A hot breeze sucked the moisture out of her lungs and she coughed.

"Alright," Zelda nodded, "We shall stay here for today."

The girls crawled into the opening of the carriage carcass and enjoyed the shade it had to offer. Link and Zelda sat at the entrance boredly, leaning against one another for support. Link grabbed the sand and let it slip through his fingertips listlessly; Zelda did the same. There was no way to sugar-coat things – she was bored, Link was bored, everyone was practically begging to go home. It seemed nothing would bring their spirits up, or maybe she was projecting her pessimism onto them. Gods, she was too tired to even care.

The Princess wanted to give up, but knew they shouldn't. A naive part of her had thought that the moment they set foot on to the desert, everything would come into place, but life isn't so perfect. She put her hand on Link's knee and squeezed, burying her face in his neck. A smile rumbled in his chest, and he tilted her head up, begging her to smile. So optimistic this man was, never bothered or hopeless. He had drive that could not be watered down, no wonder Hylia favored him.

The skin around his eyes wrinkled in a request that she stop putting herself down, and she appreciated that. A strange sound, like deep cackling, drew their attention to the skies, and Link gasped in concern.

A bird flew above them, large and vulture-like in build. It circled them, almost stalking the two as it watched with purpose. Link equipped his hawkeye and mused, "A Kargaroc...But different." Maybe it was a desert variant, skin covered in navy feathers to protect it from the sun. The biggest difference was its spectacular plumes upon its tail. It was a beautiful gold interwoven with jade, and it trailed behind the creature like a luxury scarf in the wind. What gorgeous feathers on such a menacing bird.

"It seems to find us interesting," She mumbled after hearing its proud cry from the heavens.

Link was not comfortable with its attention, and Zelda was becoming more and more tense. Its dark eyes and thick beak looked hungry. He went to get the girls, and she hurried to find their next rest spot on the map. Glancing around, Zelda tried to find a marker to indicate where they were. A tall mesa to the West beside a rock formation – and there was the plateau they stayed at the first night, and– Wait, things looked oddly familiar. Panic settled in the pit of her stomach as she scanned the map over and over again, landmarks growing more and more familiar. She let out a cry of frustration.

...

"I cannot believe we have been walking in circles!" She callously threw a twig into the fire that accentuated her face in an orange glow. They stayed at the same plateau that they had the first night, no progress, no distance worth mentioning. Link tried to calm her, but she felt completely stupid to have been oblivious to the signs. Fuana and Naru slept peacefully beside one another, and she tried to stay quiet as her exasperation flowed out of her.

"We are never going to find her," she fumed, "The shadows may already have her as we speak!"

She paced beside the fire and dulled, grabbing her head roughly as she scolded herself. They should have checked Arbiters Grounds first – had she not been such a jealous monster, they might have made some progress. _It is all your fault,_ the voice in her head laughed at her frustration.

Link grabbed her wrist and pulled her down, motioning for her to sit between his legs as he wrapped his protective arms around her. She faced the open fire and struggled to ease against his form, slowly leaning back onto him. He lightly kissed her shoulder and mumbled against her skin, "We'll find her."

She hoped he was right. "Everyday I am convinced more and more that this is all a game made for the Gods' amusement," She gibed to the heavens, stars shimmering with a mocking merriment. A girl who danced like flames hidden amongst the red sands; how cryptic could they be? Could Hylia not even spare a glance at her face or a point on a map?

A sharp pinch erupted from her side and she yelped, rubbing the spot whilst casting Link a dirty look. He jumped, "It wasn't me!"

She smirked, pinching him back. "Mother would say a man pinches a woman to show interest."

Link laughed, thinking it was an odd thing for a mother to tell her child, and began pinching and poking every inch of her. She roared in laughter as he tickled her until her sides hurt, smacking his arm so he would stop.

He yelped in pain – genuinely yelped, and she stopped, quickly apologizing for hitting him. He grunted, reaching back to touch his side and gasped. A wave of disorientation washed over her, lightheadedness causing her to fall back on her elbows. Link held a blunt stick in his hand, a strange green liquid at the tip. She gasped, falling completely over and landing on a similar wooden arrow as her eyes struggled to stay open. Link ached to touch her as he collapsed onto his side.

Princess Zelda fought to shout but she was too sleepy, eyes slowing closing and mind filling with fluff as she fell unconscious.

…

 _The rosebud waited anxiously to see the painted woman and all her wonderful colors. Her guardian, a tall and powerful rose bush, promised it would be a joyous meeting, wise old leaves curling upwards to the heavens as she instructed her to wait. It was exciting, being able to see such a masterpiece after so long. So she waited, patiently yet with a firm stem. The smell of oil paint perfumed the other room, and the rosebud's petals pinked with joy._

 _The rose bush was heard rattling her leaves, and the small rosebud rooted herself deeper into her seat. There was a slam, and the rose bush appeared defeated, but tried to hide her true feelings with a smile. "She said another time," That meant the painted woman had not yet dried once more. The rosebud wilted with disappointment._

…

Heat left her body drenched in sweat, throat parched and head throbbing against a breathing chest. Feeling returned to her form, but the tips of her fingers and toes still tingled in sleep. They were drugged – her eyes shot open as she felt the earth rock her body like waves, face stiff and sunburnt, and saw only the cool blue sky. She moved to touch her face, only to discover her hands were bound tightly behind her back. Panic washed over her, and she wrenched her head to find it was resting on Link's chest, his wrists and ankles bound in the same manner.

Fuana and Naru were snoring nearby, probably bound as well. She used her head to gently shake Link awake, turning to lay on her stomach. Her chin hit the sand as he stirred back to life, and she gasped: they were being hoisted up and taken by something! Her poorly timed sound of shock alerted their captors, and they were dropped unceremoniously onto the ground with a hard thud.

The children were jolted out of their slumber and they began to shriek in terror. The scream soon became muffled, and in the corner of her eye, she could see Link was being forced up into a sitting position. Two strong hands did the same to her, placing her beside the knight. The girls' mouths were gagged with a white cloth, and looking up at her assailants, Zelda only saw the sun peeking out behind their tall forms. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the light surrounding the silhouetted shadows, and her mouth hung open in awe. They were...four towering women?

Their bronze, sun-kissed skin was taut and dewy, revealing toned muscles in their arms and extremely thin waists. Their facial features reminded Zelda of birds, not any farm fowl like Alger, but like regal peacocks with faces painted in vibrant colors and foreheads adorned with a single colored jewel. Their eyes looked down at her in contempt, orbs varying shades of gold and hair like strands of copper. They were mesmerizing, distinct and alluring like desert sirens ready to kill with their beauty. They drew long spears and pointed them at Zelda and her party, the glistening of their jewelry bothering her eyes.

One began coating an arrow with an emerald liquid, but was stopped by another. She appeared to be the leader of the group, her hair short and free unlike the tight buns of her associates, and barked a series of stern orders in a language Zelda had never heard. They spoke in whistled tongues, like desert snakes, and made sounds with the back of their throat and phlegm, as well as hard pops with their tongue and teeth. It was unlike anything else she had heard, beautiful yet stirring fear within foreign ears, mimicking the raw power of their speaker with each phoneme.

The archer threw the tainted arrow to the side, mumbling to the short-haired woman who tightened her bandana in aggravation. The spear-wielders spoke frantically at them, pointing their blades at Link and growling something that ended with a vicious, " _Voe_!"

He gave Zelda a side glance, uncomfortable with the weapon so close. Did he know them? No, there wasn't a spark of recognition in any of their eyes – their quarrel with him was deep-seeded prejudice they didn't even understand. The leader pointed to the children, and one of her associates picked them up and threw them over her shoulder. Naru and Fuana fought against them, grunting and shouting against the rags in their mouth. She then pointed at Link, and the other warrior carried him as if he weighed nothing. They must have been at least six feet tall with the strength of a bull. Zelda panicked when they put a black bag over his head, and noticed the woman wore his shield and sword on her back.

"Please," She struggled against her binds, crawling on her knees to the leader, "We mean no harm, you do not need to–"

She grabbed the spear from her compatriot and put it to Zelda's throat, plump brown lips lifting into a snarl as she spat, "Silence, Hylian!"

…

It wasn't the first time she had been kidnapped, but it was definitely the strangest. As a child, there were many plots to steal her away and hold her for ransom, but never were they a band of women, and never did they succeed. She had been thrown over someone's shoulder, hanging like a hunted deer, face bagged like butchered meat. There was small hole located just below her nose, and if she strained her eyes, the Princess could see golden slippers that curled up at the toes.

The women didn't seem to be tired by the burning sun, nor bothered by the harsh sand that came with the wind. Maybe that's why they were built so differently, they were built to take the extremes without breaking a sweat. Zelda listened closely as they bantered, interested in the leader's voice.

She spoke Hylian. How or why was still a mystery. These deserts were supposed to be empty, save for caravanners from neighboring Kingdoms, but there was no way these women hailed from far off lands. " _Nosef_ ," the one who carried the Princess called, speaking a series of words before laughing.

The leader laughed back, and Zelda assumed that Nosef was her title or maybe name. They marched effortlessly, all the while Zelda was cramping up and in pain. Naru and Fuana were heard mumbling against their mouth covers, and this comforted Zelda slightly – they weren't hurting them, which meant they had some level of value.

Nosef produced noises of girlish content, Zelda trying to be inconspicuous as she lifted her head up to try and see out the hole in her bag. Her neck quickly ached, and all she caught was a glimpse of another tall guardswoman. Zelda's stomach twisted in anxiety – they had to be copycats, there was no way these people could be–

" _Vasaaq, Nose_ f," A new voice greeted like the guards would when she entered a room, courteously and almost fearful. This other woman gasped, " _Voe_!" Zelda could see a pair of feet in the sand shift to face where she assumed Link was being carried. The loud cries of a Kargaroc overhead silenced the female, and she muttered either a series apologies or was merely talking to herself.

Their party started moving forward, the sound of community activity clamorous against her ears. They had been alone in the desert for so long that she'd forgotten what loudness was. Then came hushed whispers, and Zelda assumed they had noticed their presence – all repeating the same word in awe and discomfort. " _Voe_."

Rolling her head on her shoulders, the princess saw that amongst the crowd were not only women dressed in fine silks and jewels, but their child daughters wore exposed midriffs and expensive accessories as if it were an everyday uniform. Some even used rupees as jewelry! She noted that all they had were daughters, no sons, no men to be seen. The young girls had bare foreheads, while their older counterparts styled their hair to assure you noticed their gem.

This was impossible.

She closed her aching eyes, strained from looking through the peephole. The smoky smell of incense smothered her inside the black sack, the hot sun no longer burning her skin. They were setting her down, the blood rushing back to her body, leaving her dizzy and lightheaded. A type of carpeting was under her knees, but she was forced to sit in a kneeling position,the thumps of three other bodies gained her attention.

"Link, little ones, are you well?" Zelda frantically whipped her head from side to side, put to ease after hearing them groan that they were safe. Someone grabbed the bag, and roughly yanked it off Zelda's head. Quickly she glanced to her party, hands and feet still bound, and then searched the room. It appeared to be a hut, thick swirls of smoke slithering off charred sticks that lined the wall. Expensive fabrics hung like a canopy overhead, detailed rugs and pillows giving a false sense of comfort before one noticed the armed guards all round. Nosef approached Zelda, grabbing her roughly by the face and forcing her to look forward at a figure sitting stoically on a throne made of wood and diorite stone.

Nosef leered at the Princess before standing before the menacing individual, smoke settling just as her heart began to race. Another woman, dressed in black and white-gold hearkened back to the memory of the Demon King, her headdress worn in a similar manner but with a tight, layered ponytail. Her face was partially hidden behind a sheer veil, mature eyes cold and apathetic. She was regal, a strong matriarch allergic to nonsense; Zelda could tell by the stare she gave her – she was asserting her dominance over her prey. She looked over the four of them carefully, and spoke in their tongue slowly. Her voice rumbled deep like a bison horn's song.

The short-haired woman responded relatively casually, gazing at the Matriarch while the others made it their mission to look away. The older woman snapped her long fingers and locked eyes with the Princess. There was a hissing noise; Naru and Fuana shrieked in terror, calling Zelda's attention to a concerning sight.

A long cobra slithered into the room dramatically, like it purposefully wished to make a scene as its scales shined like the jewelry on the women's ears. She tensed, watching carefully as the serpent turned its black eyes in her direction. Link gasped, trying to free his hands and grab Zelda, but the guards held him back with their spears. Zelda looked to the Matriarch for assistance, but no one seemed bothered by the venomous enemy that was invading their tent. It inched closer, flicking its tongue in her direction as it began to circle her.

She held her breath, everything telling her to run from the beast when she saw it yawn, sharp fangs eager to piece her flesh. Link's face went white, and she gulped hard when its cold body began traveling up her. The Matriarch made a sound of interest, and Zelda focused on her so to not radiate any more fear than she needed. It was around her neck, slimy yet dry as its tail curled around her right arm.

 _Oh Gods,_ She prayed, forcing herself to stay still and courageous amongst the cruel audience. That was when the cobra faced her, beautiful copper hood farming its small yet intimidating face. Its stance was prideful, eyes almost human in the way they seemed to laugh at her suffering. It watched her, read her, and played with her past experiences with a serpent creature. Zant flashed in her mind, and the snake tightened just as she tensed from the memory.

Naru began to cry, and Zelda flicked her eyes to the child, but the cobra bared its hollow fangs in anger. It wanted her attention, and she gave it. Black to blue, Hylian to serpent – and when it appeared pleased, it elegantly released the Princess, and slithered over to the stone matriarch. She bent over to grab the serpent like a pet, and allowed it to roam her body and flick its tongue against her ear before sliding away. Her expression never changed.

"I-I know you speak Hylian," Zelda gathered herself, "Please, we are not here to cause any trouble, I am–"

"I know exactly who you are, Zeldadorf of Hyrule," The Matriarch motioned for the rope to be removed around their wrists and ankles, "And I know of why you search our deserts."

Zelda rubbed the raw flesh that throbbed and burned, holding Naru and Fuana close as they rushed into her embrace. The Princess looked up and wondered, "How?"

The woman raised her thick brows and crossed her legs. "I am Saboorudorf, Queen of the Gerudo."

Zelda's eyes widened with shock; the deserts were supposed to be empty! She looked at all the women and finally accepted the voice in the back of her head that screamed, "I told you so!". Link was just as uncomfortable, eyes stuck on all the armed guards that glared at them maliciously. If they killed them, no one would know, because according to the records, the Gerudo no longer existed.

The Matriarch's thickly accented cadence guided them out of their stupor. "Just as you are a herald for your Gods, I am that of mine. The Goddess of the Sand told me of your arrival, and assures me you are the mortal who speaks for old Gods," Saboorudorf tilted her head, "You appear frightened."

Zelda furrowed her brows, "Pardon me, but I find my reaction to be appropriate."

Fuana spoke up curiously, "We were told the Gerudo were...extinct."

Nosef's temper flared, baring her teeth. "You dare disrespect us further?!"

The Princess glared at her for shouting at the child, but that didn't stop the Gerudo from approaching them with anger. Saboorudorf extended her arm in front of Nosef, a small snake slithering on it to stare at Nosef.

She paused, closing her eyes at the serpent and mumbling, "I understand, Mother of the Sands."

Saboorudorf let the little garden snake glide across her as it pleased. Zelda shivered at the idea of letting the slimy reptile go about her body. They revered those creatures – maybe their Goddess was a snake?

The Matriarch sighed, "When I was a child, the dorf before me met with your people. Your late Queen was a friend of the Gerudo, but it appeared your nation as a whole wanted nothing to do with us." She leaned back leisurely into her chair without a care in the world.

Zelda nodded, "Because of Ganondorf."

The room gasped as if they heard a curse word, Nosef scolding, "We do not speak his name!"

"Yes," Saboorudorf affirmed, "Even with him executed, we were excommunicated and banished from Hyrule, and now reside here – in the outskirts of our homeland. Through no fault of the Queen; from what I saw growing up, it appeared our borders were slowly being pushed back without her even knowing. We were slowly forgotten, and believe it was for the best.

Nosef scoffed in dissent, causing Saboorudorf to prim behind her veil. Zelda focused on the ground ponderously. Her father may have been the last to see this tribe, and this may have been one of his many regrets. She asked, "Did you know my grandmother?"

"Not formally. I am the great niece of the Sage Nabooru, named after Her Greatness. My dynasty began after the Demon King's death, and will continue to rule until another son is born. We are just as infertile as your kind, able only to produce daughters until the Goddess grows tired of my family's rule.." Her critical eyes flashed to Link as she guessed, "You are the granddaughter of the old Zeldadorf; I can see her in your face. The Great Sand Goddess assured me you would come, bless Her plentiful knowledge."

The room hummed, "Bless."

Zelda frowned.

"We have a proposition for you, Zeldadorf," The Matriarch clasped her hands together and explained, "If you complete this task for us, we shall in turn help you find this child you so desperately seek."

Zelda tilted her head. "What exactly is this quest?"

The Gerudo woman paused. "When our daughters come of age, they must go through a rite of passage in order to live amongst us. Alone they must pilgrimage to the Temple of the Goddess, and complete the trials meant to test their body and soul. All Gerudo are allowed this honor, and in the end, the Goddess grants the child her jewel forged with the sands of time," She pointed at the ruby on her forehead, "It is then she is reborn as a woman amongst our people. She will be given a job and be able to join in our sacred rituals. It takes half a lunar cycle to complete this journey; about three moons ago, my youngest daughter set off to complete her rite, and is yet to return. We are a nomadic people, we follow the Kargaroc each season, as they are the air familiars of our Goddess. Their flocks have already begun to move, thus we shall be traveling soon. I cannot leave my daughter behind, but my people must come first."

The Princess narrowed her eyes, "You wish for us to find your daughter? How will you then help us?"

"You seek a girl who dances like flames, with hair as red as the desert?" Zelda's jaw tensed at the accurate description, Saboorudorf closing her eyes to explain, "That is my daughter, Zeldadorf."

Link grunted in confusion, Naru and Fuana twisting their expressions. Zelda shook her head, ready to inform the Queen that she misunderstood who she was looking for. The girl couldn't have been born from a mortal, she–

"We found her, barely alive in the sands after a storm. She was frail and weak, but we were able to nurse her to health," The Queen silenced their doubt, "I have used all my fruit; bore two daughters who are now strong and healthy women. I wished to experience that once more, so I tricked this girl into believing she was my offspring. It was foolish of me, and I have justily been punished for it. When I noticed the markings on her hands, and the traits she held became more pronounced, it was too late. I wish for you to bring her back, but do not tell her the truth. That is my duty as her mother...Her name is Dinaria, and she is a false Gerudo Princess."

"That is not very Gerudo sounding." Naru added without thinking.

Nosef was bothered but Saboorudorf paid no mind. "You are right. I named her after your Goddess Din, as your people seemed convinced _our_ Goddess was molded in her image."

Princess Zelda was still unsure. "Why don'tyour guards go look for her?"

"My eldest daughter is pregnant, and our numbers are small. We have strict hunting grounds nearby, and the temple is just outside of those boundaries. Sending them to find Dinaria means taking our time away from food and protection. Do you accept or not, Zeldadorf?" She crossed her arms.

Zelda paused, "A moment, please." She motioned Link to lean in and whispered, "Thoughts?"

He frowned, not trusting people who kidnap him. That made sense, how could they trust a supposedly dead culture – this might all be a farce to lure them to their death. The Princess sighed, "I do not feel comfortable here, maybe we should decline and go."

Fuana forced herself into the conversation, pleading with them to stay. "T-There is hardly any written documentation on this group, we _need_ to stay! An ethnography must be done, an-anthropology would be advantageous in strengthening Hylian relations with other cultures!"

Naru threw her two cents in. "Be honest Fuana, you want to be the first to study them."

Fuana blushed, "I-I do it for knowledge...I would put it under Mama – Lelian's name."

Zelda glanced up at Nosef whose eyes burned like molten gold. She remained emotionless, giving her no energy. She casually noted, "You look at me with such hatred."

She spat on the floor. "If Hylians were not so petty, we would not be in this situation. We would have our ancient city back–"

"Nosef!" Saboorudorf chided, slamming her fist down on the arm of her throne. The guards turned away in discomfort.

"I will return her to you," The Hylian monarch accepted, "But her leaving must ultimately be her decision." Fuana pushed her glasses up on her nose with a small smile.

The Matriarch tilted her head up, somehow offended by Zelda's comment. She retorted, "Maybe in Hyrule, but the desert is cruel and uncaring; we make decisions as a group. If she does not go with you, she cannot stay here." She fixed the large earrings in her rounded ears and composed herself. "We have food for you _vai_ , but your _voe_ must eat outside the village. _Voe_ are not allowed within our walls."

Two women with covered faces snatched Link by the arms and forced him to stand up. Fuana yelped in concern, Zelda holding her back. The Princess announced, "We shall take our meal to go, then."

"Very well," Saboorudorf nodded, "My daughter Nosef shall lead you as far as she can go. From then on, follow the serpents, they shall lead you to their master."

…

They were led out a fair distance away from the city of tents to an oasis, pristine waters and life refreshing to the eyes. The harsh sun of midday was no match for the shade of trees as strong as the women who tended them. The children rushed to dunk their heads into the water, their escorts holding back their amusement. An older Gerudo was ushered toward them, her orange locks pulled into a tall bun and eyes nearly blind. She carried with her a plate of flat breads and desert fruits, extending it out to Zelda and her party.

Just as they began to sink their teeth into the juicy slices of melon, Nosef clipped, "Dinaria is a stupid girl far too arrogant for her own good." Zelda paused, surprised by the unwarranted statement. The other guards walked away, as if knowing these were statements they did not need to know.

"She has been trouble since day one. Gullible and weak-willed like every Hylian I've ever met. If I were dorf, you would be enslaved like the dogs you are." She puffed her chest out in Zelda's face. The Princess removed the soft bread from her lips and glared up at the towering woman.

"I understand your anger, but I have no quarrel with you," The Hylian puffed back, "If you wish to stir some sort of rage within me to justify your hatred, then you have come to the wrong person. I am sorry this happened to your people, but I am being completely honest when I say that we had no idea you were even here! For years we have been taught your people died out, if I would have known I–"

"I do not wish to hear childish excuses," Nosef pushed forward, shoving Zelda's shoulder, "The sooner you Hylians' leave the village, the better."

Link growled at her, hair standing up at the back of his neck, but Zelda assured him there was nothing to be bothered by. A toned Gerudo with blue eyelids and thick arms approached the children and greeted, " _Sav'aaq_ little _vai_. I am Raerani, and I shall help you cross the desert."

Zelda smiled, "Thank you, but you do not have to–"

In one fell swoop, she lifted both children onto her strong shoulders and let them sit comfortably. When she noticed the princess staring, she wondered, "What was that Zeldadorf?"

She shook her head. Nosef barked for her band to begin walking, a large Kargaroc flying overhead. Link slipped his hand into Zelda's, hoping they found what they were looking for. Zelda prayed so, as well.

Fuana seemed to be talking to Raerani religiously, scribbling her notes as she did so. "If you can't have men in the city, what is marriage like?" She inquired.

Zelda's eyes widened, and she tried to tell Fuana those kind of questions were impolite, but Link implored her to just let her genius flow. Raerani happily informed, "I am unfamiliar with that Hylian word. We Gerudo take caravanners as mates, mostly human, and they are free to leave. In old times, Gerudo would leave the village to find boyfriends in Hyrule, but not anymore. We are a close community, _voe_ are not needed – Gerudo take as many _voe_ as they please.

"Fascinating," her grassy eyes sparkled, "A monotheistic, matriarchal culture with a form of polyandry with matrilineal kinship on a community level, what a marvel!"

"I do not understand the words you speak little _vai_ , but if our ways interest you, I have much more to tell." Raerani chortled.

"Please do!"

Naru rolled her eyes, bored out of her mind, "Please don't."

They reached a mesa arch and Nosef stopped. Naru and Fuana were gently set down, and Zelda scanned her surroundings. It was barren and yellow, as usual. "Is this the end?"

Nosef took her spear and flipped a rock over; curled up underneath was a frustrated striped snake. It hissed in distress, slowly slithering away. "She will lead you to the temple," The woman poked tufts of brittle grass to wake up more serpents, "Be respectful and cautious. Hylians are not allowed in the shrine – if you knock, Dinaria should hear you. If she attacks you, I recommend you put the child in her place."

A horned viper exposed its fangs and snapped at the wooden stick. Trepidatiously, the Princess followed the creatures, calling back to Nosef, "Thank you."

"I did not do this for you, Hylian," She crossed her arms, "Do not disappoint my mother."

…

The frightening little creatures led them to a tall red mountain, burrowing into the sands or finding shade elsewhere. There was no other sign of life nearby, save for old footprints practically blown away by the wind. Zelda and her party followed them eagerly, coming face to face with a grand door etched with foreign symbols.

"This must be the entrance," she announced, before noticing thick cobwebs in the corner. It was like no one had opened it in a long time, causing the cogs in her mind to strain. The Princess took a step back and looked up at the parietal monument carved into the mountain face. It was of a Gerudo woman, beautiful and strong with hands open to those who followed her. She was armed with both blade and snakeskin armor. This was the Sand Goddess, her bosom carried the rising sun – her stone eyes, smooth as the moon, seemed to say, "I am vacant."

Zelda frowned, "No one seems to be here."

Naru tried pushing the door open with no luck, Hylians were not allowed. Link drew her attention to more footprints that led elsewhere. "She left?" Zelda tilted her head. A heavy gust of wild smacked her face and she covered her eyes.

Link tracked the small indents in the sand and was heading closer and closer to a craggy cave.

Fuana wondered, "Why would she go there?"

"I am unsure," Zelda replied. Link gasped, pointing toward the horizon. A gigantic cloud of sand headed their way. It was dark and menacing, moving fast – the sight of a sandstorm in general making Zelda's gut drop. "Into the cave!" She commanded loudly, rushing them in just before the storm struck. Tons of debris and hard rock flew in front of the mouth, blocking out the sun and leaving the outside world in a haze of red.

"The Sand Goddess really doesn't want us here," Link joked.

A low growl grabbed their attention, and Zelda's eyes widened to the size of the moon at what she saw behind them.

* * *

 **special thanks to:**

 **TheLilyoftheValley, IzanagiOmega, juanpablobro, XxxHelliosxxX, Lynk2570, GrumpyShaman, Ultimate blazer, Jpeepers, and Generala**

 **Thank you all for getting this story to 150+ reviews, you all are so very awesome! Your interaction with the story have really made this stressful month, school has been kicking me up but thankfully the semester is almost over, and I am trying my hardest to prepare for the anniversary of this story. Thank you all once again.**

 **Generala, you are so right that he was just a sad man in the end. No human being is so black and white you know? Thank you Jpeepers for taking the time to read it! Ultimate blazer, she is coming soon! GrumpyShaman, welcome!**

 **And a round of applause to my editor: SunnyAirisu22, without you I would still be spelling "hurry" and "hurray" haha cx**

 **Please take the time to leave a review if you, your feedback helps with quality control and lets me know how I'm doing! Don't forget to bundle up this winter and stay safe out there! See ya next month!**

 **EDIT: The language used by the Gerudo is from Breath of the Wild, all credit goes to Nintendo**

 **Beep Beep Lettuce**


	27. Chapter 26

**PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO READ THE SPECIAL AUTHORS NOTE REGARDING A BONUS CHAPTER AT THE END!**

 **Special Thanks to:**

 **kansa, Ultimate blazer, turtwig408, Hendrewen, bennefixi, and Dragonqueen921**

* * *

A low growl grabbed their attention, and Zelda's eyes widened to the size of the moon at what she saw lingering behind them. A figure lay within this liminal space – blanketed by a thick fog of darkness – unconscious and still; various pairs of glowing red eyes around them. They were shadows, petting and groping at the cloaked person, hissing at the Princess as they began to take a solid form. Link drew his sword, but Zelda was faster, raising her hand up to banish them with Hylia's light. But something stopped her – she could still see life within the blood red pools; was that a sliver of humanity or a trick of the light?

She faltered: these shadows were made from humans, she couldn't–

Naru and Fuana shone their own rays at the enemies during her hesitation, faces shocked as the shadows hissed and melted away. They pooled around the body, a shiver crawled up Zelda's spine.

She wasted no time running up to the figure, Fuana following after to check their vitals. Zelda removed their hood, and her blood went cold. It was girl, around fifteen years of age, skin kissed by the sun and body wrapped in the expensive taste of the Gerudo – she even wore a necklace made with an amethyst rupee. It was Dinaria, the false Gerudo Princess, and it was obvious. Her pierced ears were pointed like sharp spears, hair the color of garnet rather than the orange sands. Her features were soft and Hylian, not bird-like; even with her lids painted in gold pigments, her half-open eyes didn't come close to the deep yellow of the Gerudo people, but were ruby-like. She looked the part though: eyes lined with black charcoal and plump lips coated with maroon lipstick, white garbs accented with hand-stitched designs.

Zelda noticed the bright jewel on her head, and wondered how she could have received the Sand Goddess's gift without being a Gerudo?

"Sh-She's just sleeping," Fuana nervously noted.

"But for how long was she in this state," Zelda frowned, holding her hands out just above Dinaria's parted bangs. Her head began to throb as a healing glow radiated from her palms, the half-closed lids fluttered awake with consciousness. The teenage girl's gaze flicked over to the Princess and widened. Without warning, she lurched out of Zelda arms and grabbed a weapon from the dark, thrusting the tip of the spear into the Princess's face.

She had definitely spent a lot of time with Nosef.

Zelda held her hands up and slowly stood. Link stepped forward, but the monarch motioned him to stay back. "We were sent here by your mother, little one. We mean you no harm."

Dinaria ripped the rest of the cloak off her body and grinned menacingly. She chuckled, "You are Hylians – there's no way mother would let you come close to the shrine. Let alone a _voe,"_ She raised a brow at Link, "I have never seen a _voe_ before...They are not very impressive."

Fuana grabbed Link's arm and defended, "He is very much impressive!"

The Princess swiftly intervened, introducing herself, "I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule. We were tasked by Saboorudorf to find you and bring you home."

The red-haired girl didn't drop her weapon, an impulsive behavior bubbling up. "The only good Hylian is a dead one!" She thrusted the spear in her direction but Zelda already anticipated this kind of behavior, grabbing the shaft and placing the edge of her estoc a breath away from Dinaria's neck. Naru and Fuana gasped, but they should have known her better.

"It is unwise to threaten me, little one," Zelda sighed.

Dinaria gulped, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she tried to feign confidence. She put on a fake smile, "You are a worthy opponent Zeldadorf – I will believe your story, and stand down."

"Right." Zelda raised a brow. There was a long foreboding silence after that, and with the sandstorm showing no sign of letting up, there was nothing else they could do. Dinaria looked at the dust and dirt zooming past the opening of the cave.

She rolled her eyes, "I suppose it is my duty to show you Gerudo hospitality. Please, sit." Zelda implored her party to rest, her tired knees singing praise as she sat on the cool ground. Dinaria reached behind a rock and removed her rucksack filled with firewood. She set a few down in a neat pile; Link offered his flint and steel but she stared at it in confusion. Dinaria simply snapped her fingers and the wood caught aflame.

Zelda hid her shock but glared at the very real, and very warm fire that crackled and clicked. Was this child self-taught in magics? Dinaria wasn't focused on the group, eyes weren't glowing as if she awaited praise or awe, she appeared preoccupied by something. As time crawled at a snail's pace, Link let his eyes rest and fell into a peaceful sleep. Naru and Fuana scooted to be as close to Dinaria as possible without touching her.

The shadows on her face accentuated her brooding expression, her gaze only lifting upwards after noticing the piercing stares of the two children. Dinaria snarled at the girls, scaring them enough so that they scurried to the princess's side.

Zelda observed her from across the flames. "What were you doing inside this cave," she wondered aloud.

Dinaria's scarlet orbs narrowed in offense, and she sat up straighter like a snake ready to snap. "I finished my trials and needed a place to rest – why did mother send _you_ ; I was going to head home tomorrow." She crossed her arms, bangles rattling on her wrists as she pouted, staring out to the entrance.

The monarch's gut twisted. "You have been missing for months...there were shadow creatures all around you."

Dinaria's lips tightened, visibly shaken. She mumbled, "I... I don't remember that."

The sandstorm raged on. The others were fast asleep, lulled by the winds and rumble of racing sands. Zelda was a stranger to slumber, and Dinaria showed no sign of being tired. The light of the fire mixed with the darkness outside, and covered her features in sharp contouring shadows. The Princess tried to look her in the eyes, but she was still turned away – so her stare wandered down to the back of her tan hand. She had thick varicose veins meeting in a triangular shape, but something was different. Maybe it was the light, maybe it was her dark complexion, but the veins seemed to form an inky black rather than inflamed red. Her brows furrowed.

"I heard," Dinaria lips curled mischievously, "That four years ago, there were Hylians sighted near the Sacred Grounds – one of them was seen transforming, like the Sand Goddess, into a wolf." She jutted her chin to Link whose face scrunched in dream. "Your _voe_ was that wolf, huh. Mother says _voe_ dressed in green have always been symbols of something great."

Zelda put her hand on Link's chest and tried to avoid the subject, but Dinaria interpreted her silence as weakness.

Dinaria cackled, "Zeldadorfs are supposed to be strong, no? But all I see in your eyes is emptiness – hesitation. I see regret."

"It is time you get your eyes checked, little one," Zelda calmly scolded.

The teenager was unamused and took her response as a challenge. She stretched her arms and bragged, "I will never be like you. When I conquer the Desert, my eyes will only brim with the glory of the Gerudo! Every grain of sand the sun touches will belong to me, no longer will my people struggle, our fortress will once again home her children." She beamed with determination, energy burning brighter than the fire as she clenched her fists.

"And how would you do that?" Zelda raised her brow.

Her doubt made the girl snarl. "Because I am the only one who can," Her ego flared, "When mother can no longer rule, one of us must take charge. Nosef is a captain of our guard, Igesu will be raising her _vehvi_ to be a priestess such as herself, and that leaves me to carry on our dynasty. Dorf is my birthright, my abilities will finally be recognized – you wouldn't understand."

She was trying to make Zelda angry, but it made her sad more than anything. This girl was so illusioned. She frowned at how powerless Dinaria was to her fate; she was so ambitious, but there was nothing behind it. This strength and position was a farce, and Zelda feared her reaction when she discovered it to be so. The child was impulsive and weak-willed; by the Gods, she felt so bad for her.

Dinaria fidgeted, uncomfortable with Zelda's unwavering stare. She stood up and stretched, joints popping like the fire. "Not much for conversation, are we?" She sighed, hands on her hips as she twisted her upper body.

"I am exhausted," Zelda closed Naru's mouth as she began to snore.

"Then rest."

Her cold orbs drifted to the discarded spear and then back at Dinaria. "I do not sleep."

The crimson-haired girl scowled, "You bore me." Dinaria stood and began to dance slowly to the rhythm of her bracelets clanking together, humming to herself.

"What are you doing?" Zelda wondered aloud.

"Passing time. If you're not going to entertain me, I'll have to do it myself." Her body rolled and curled, mimicking the quick snaps and steady waves of the fire. When her hips rocked, so did the flames; they seemed enamored by the way the girl moved. It became apparent she controlled the blaze, she burned just as bright as it did, limbs airy as she danced with both elegance and danger.

Zelda was as transfixed with Dinaria as a moth would be to a flame, a halo radiating off her body in joy. She was the girl from her dreams. Like crashing waves, she ended her dance by whipping her arms down against her side with a beautiful plume of fire trailing after.

The monarch's body became stiff and serious. "Who taught you Din's flame." Her teeth clenched in stress.

"Hm? You mean my talent? " She laughed, "Really brings drama to a good dance, no?"

Zelda scowled, "That magic can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. It is not a toy."

Dinaria grew annoyed. "Loosen up – it's not like the witch Koume taught me, I was just born with it. Stop looking at me like that!"

…

Dinaria and Zelda were not getting along as well as she would have hoped. Was she as foul-mouthed and disrespectful in her young womanhood? Dinaria was much more tolerable in her sleep, curled up tightly in a ball across the campfire, twitching and mumbling in dream. Patience. She needed to show patience.

Zelda moved Fuana into a better position next to Naru, and made sure Link's neck was supported while he slept. Dinaria appeared to be the most uncomfortable while she rested, stiff and bothered. What an odd case. Din, the mother of regality and pride, now a messy teenager huddled like a dog in a cave. She rubbed her arms as tingles ran up from voices wailing on the wind. It was no one, just the cries of the dead; cries that were too familiar.

The girl groaned awake, the sweat of nightmares fresh on her brow. She suffered in silence, hiding her fear with annoyance at the sight of the Princess. "What are you still doing awake?" She scowled tartly.

"I told you," Zelda was calm and reasonable, "I do not sleep." Dinaria sat up and gave Zelda a black look. The Princess thought back to the Gerudo Queen – the culture seemed to be rooted in tight community and connection with others; no wonder she couldn't sleep, all isolated and alone. The Princess offered motherly, "Please, sit here beside me. No need to be so far."

Dinaria laughed, "No thanks." But Zelda was no fool. She saw that shift in her eyes, the way pride kept her cemented even if she yearned to be close. Slowly, so to not draw suspicion, the Princess began to flutter her eyelids, pretending to wander into sleep. She started to lean back against a rock and closed her eyes, forcing her breathing to become paced and soft.

She waited, and as expected, the teenager began inching, gingerly, toward the Princess. Zelda had to hold back a smile when she felt Dinaria carefully perched herself against Zelda's side, unwinding until drifting back into a deep sleep. She opened one blue eye and grinned at the small progress she made with the girl, her heart warming up to a small idea that made its way into her head.

It was a good one, praise Hylia, and it told her this was family.

…

" _Little Orphan..." pestered a woman of flame._

" _...Thinks she is a mother," finished a woman of ice._

 _They surrounded the rose, hovering and cackling like old witches, merging and separating as they pleased. The rose tried to hide, but they chased her from above._

" _You cannot save her," the flame began, "Your own mother did not love you."_

 _The ice finished, "We are mothers of Gods; you mother failure."_

 _When they merged this time, it was in the image the painted woman, glaring down at her in judgement. "You let your songbird die."_

Zelda jolted awake with a gasp, heart pounding in her chest. Damn this desert, damn that shrine, damn her memories! The Princess stayed still, not wanting to wake the still-sleeping children. Slowly, she maneuvered out of their dog pile and stretched, the morning sun barely visible outside. The sand storm had come to peaceful end, and all she wanted was to get home as soon as possible.

Carefully, she put out the rest of the fire, and shivered at how cold the cave was becoming. She tiptoed over to Link and squatted down to tap him gently on the nose, but he just scratched his face and continued sleeping. She paused before placing a small kiss on his forehead, and his eyes luggishly opened, the sands of sleep building in the corners. He smiled and she motioned for him to follow her outside.

Groggily, he did so, and together they inhaled the cold air of the steadily awakening desert. "This place makes Kakariko weather seem like a treat," Link laughed, walking around to explore.

"Do not run off too far, we must wait for the girls," Zelda warned, but he kept wandering, extending his hands out for her to do the same. She wasn't much of the adventuring type, but couldn't deny the pull he had on her, as if she was bound to him by a string. They stood on the stone formation just above the cave, and began looking at various plants and rocks nearby. Maybe him and Fuana weren't so different after all.

She turned her back to him and stretched, grabbing her dressed hair and raising it up above her head as the skin on her scalp tingled in pleasure. She sighed, but then gasped as two strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Link nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and mustered a sound of an apology. He held her closer and she placed her hand over his arm anxiously.

"Is everything alright?" She frowned, turning to face him, but he kept his face buried in her hair.

He nodded and mumbled, "Bad dream."

Seems she wasn't the only one with a bad night's rest. She hugged him back, planting small kisses against his head and pointed ears, running her hands against his shoulders. She blushed, the memory of their interaction in Kakariko still fresh on her mind as he lingered so close to her. She grabbed him, forcing him to look at her. He stared at her inquisitively, lips parted softly as he glowed with boyish charm, eyes still so young and vibrant. She kissed him – maybe that tranquility could be shared through love, and he kissed back.

She pulled them down to lay in the sand, Link helping her down slowly as she allowed him to explore the exotic landscape of her body. His fingertips and hot lips burned beautifully, warming her cold skin as she blossomed beneath him. She tugged at his collar, wanting something more as his lips ran a warm trail across her chest and an urge twisted her insides, a loud gasp of pleasure falling out of her mouth as he pressed his body closer.

He was breathing heavier as well, instinct getting the best of him when she bent her leg next to his. She arched her back until her chest met his, and he placed pecks on her cheek while running a curious hand up the creamy flesh, lingering on the scarred lines of her thigh. The memory of pain replaced fully by love, but he didn't stop there, he kept moving up...up...up–

"Stop!" She shouted, face completely red as she held the straps of her dress up in embarrassment.

Link quickly ceased, fearfully scanning her form for visual discomfort. She knew what could have happened if she hadn't stopped him. _Hylians mate for life,_ she reminded herself, patting Link on the cheek to assure he did nothing wrong. She motioned him to just lay beside her and stare at the sky while she simmered down. Whether she liked it or not, her flower was especially valuable to give – doing so would force Link into a life he may not want. One of rules and regulations, etiquette and masks; no place for a free spirit that roams in the grass. The life of a Prince Consort, would he even wish to continue a relationship with her if he knew that was the end?

 _You could always keep him in the shadows._

Zelda hammered her eyes shut and pushed the Queen's lifestyles away. She looked at him and sighed. That would be cruel and unreasonable – she would never give her precious Link and Dark anything in common. What shame, treating your lover like a filthy secret. Her husband would know her children were not his; what Prince would even want someone they couldn't have? Rumors would make them a joke. She forced herself to speak, "Seems like it is taking longer for the sun to rise."

Link nodded, "That means autumn is coming."

Zelda's face went white. "Come again."

He pointed up to the last cluster of stars that began to disappear with the dawn, "See those constellations? You only see them around here in fall. It's not summ– Princess, are you okay?"

He sat up and she stayed still, trying to hide her hyperventilating as anxiety gnawed at her mind. Prince Harod, would he still come? He stomach fell ill to the idea. Maybe he would arrive while was away, be disinterested and leave.

Link's concern made her guilty. Should she tell him? Hylia no, he would no doubt be furious and leave. Princes Harod would not come, especially once he sees the mess Hyrule is in. Neighsdon was a smart kingdom, they wouldn't risk their only son's life on a Princess they did not really want.

"Back off!" Dinaria screamed from inside the cave. Link and Zelda both bolted up and rushed to the rocky entrance, blades drawn. The teen was being assaulted by Naru who sat on her leg while Fuana tried to inspect her body.

"What is going on?" Zelda asked in exasperation.

"I-I wish to check her vitals. Who knows how l-long she was unconscious!" Fuana flailed her arms in frustration as Dinaria squirmed away from her prying hands.

"And I'm helping!" Naru cheered back.

"Get off," Dinaria groaned.

Link went to grab Naru and Zelda sighed, "Little ones, please behave. It is far too early for this."

…

Dinaria guided them back to the mesa arch where Nosef and her band appeared to be waiting for them. Fuana waved at Raerani who returned the greetimg, but that was the only gesture of joy that came from the group. Nosef had voiced her disdain toward Dinaria, but Zelda assumed the teen would be passionate and loud with her sister. But, as they got closer, the false princess grew meek and voiceless while Nosef relentlessly scrutinized her in silence.

"I am glad to see you are not dead, Zeldadorf. Mother would have found that very troubling," was all Nosef said, still ignoring her adoptive sister. Raerani was the only one who dared speak to Dinaria; it was brief yet assuring. It took them a few minutes before the short-haired Gerudo regarded the teen's presence.

"You are still acting like a nuisance – like a _vehvi_ not willing to come when her mother calls. Why did you not return when required?" The Kargarock cawed above them, as if in agreement.

Dinaria was offended, but Zelda was quick to defend her. "I believe she may have been put under a spell by shadows."

Nosef glowered at the Princess as if she were a fool. "Shadows. How would a shadow do harm?" Dinaria was just as interested to hear the answer.

"It is complicated," she sighed, "These creatures have invaded all of Hyrule, and it seems they've reached this far."

Nosef stiffened her grip on the spear in her hand, this new threat bringing unease. Zelda knew she was trying to ignore it by asking, "Dinaria, did you at least receive your gem?"

The girl confidently flaunted her jewel in the center of her forehead, and Nosef seemed just as perplexed as Zelda. How did a Hylian earn a Gerudo rite?

As the tents from the village came into sight, the band stopped and surrounded Link. His eyes widened, fearful of what bag or drug they were planning to use on him. Nosef crossed her arms over her navy blue garments and stood over him, tall and menacing. "Listen here _voe,_ " she spat like a curse word, "You are receiving a very high honor – one that your ancestors could only dream of. Saboorudorf has granted you access into our village freely as thanks for finding Dinaria. This will be the first and last time you may enter our home as a _voe,_ is that understood."

He nodded.

Dinaria huffed in surprise, as well as Zelda. Link was just happy he didn't need to be bagged and carried like the hunt. They continued their journey until reaching the village. The women and children came out of their homes to happily greet and hug Dinaria passionately, and she smiled back sweetly at them. This was the same soft side that she witnessed sleeping in the cave, one where she stopped acting strong and was vulnerable and honest. Older women moved her bangs to better see the jewel that shimmered like the stars and hollered. The younger females; however, wanted nothing to do with the false princess, and would rather spend their time preening and batting their long-lashed eyes girlishly.

Her blood boiled as they stared at Link as if he were a piece of meat, licking their painted lips and shifting seductively. Men were scarce, the sight of one in the village being revolutionary and overwhelming, but that didn't stop Zelda from turning green. She glared daggers at the women, and tried to make her presence known, but that didn't stop the ogles. He, of course, was completely oblivious to their attention, and was more focused on staring at the various homes and stands. The women whispered as their eyes roamed his body, and Zelda could no longer hide her bothered expression.

 _Rip them apart._

Her blood went cold and she paused, deaf and blind to the world around her. She thrashed her head around, looking for dark eyes fearfully. She would do it too; if she was a weaker person, she would make a scene, but she needed to relax. She would not give that creature the satisfaction. Thin fingers seemed to reached around her throat, and squeeze at her to react at the sight of a Gerudo woman pretending to drop something near Link so he would grab it for her.

The Princess closed her eyes in an attempt to quell the rumbling jealousy in her innards, when a small hand slipped into hers. Glancing down, she saw Naru observe her closely, as if she understood that Zelda's will was growing weaker. The child, smiling at the Princess instead of trying to play with the Gerudo children beckoning her attention, hummed a friendly song.

"Oi!" Nosef barked, "Keep up you two!"

Zelda hadn't realized how far away their party was, and rushed over to join them at the silk-draped entrance of a regal tent. It was much larger than the others, dressed with detailed textiles that mimicked the color of the sky at dusk. Vibrant gold feathers rolled off the sides like raindrops, and reversing their trail, Zelda witnessed a family of Kargarocks nested on a perch that hung over the home.

The menacing birds glared down at them like vultures, as the guards inspected the group. Dinaria growled at them when they stared too long at the jewel on her forehead, shouting at them in their tongue. Nosef's mouth snarled at the teenager, yellow eyes burning with disapproval. She grabbed her bare shoulders and shoved Dinaria into the tent, nodding for the others to follow.

Zelda was thankful for finally being able to see the hut without a lense of fear, being motioned to sit on a very large and very august throw pillow. It was comfy, laced with fine silvers and beads, allowing her knees to rest. Link and the girls were instead given mats to perch upon, and Zelda quickly assumed this was a gesture of courtesy, acknowledging her position.

Saboorudorf sat in her throne as structured and upright as she had previously, the lines of her face scowling from behind her veil. Nosef stood beside her, but Dinaria straggled awkwardly to the side.

The soothing scent of sage curled around her nostrils, but even that could not stifle her unease.

Saboorudorf opened her clenched fists and thanked, "Zeldadorf, I appreciate what you have done for the Gerudo people and kept your word. You will be justly rewarded."

Nosef concurred, "You followed your end of the bargain."

Zelda shortly smiled in response, obscuring her discomfort as the Gerudo Queen's eyes grew somber. There was more to the deal, and glancing at Dinaria, her heart skipped a beat.

She looked so confident, so excited and proud – the pseudo-Gerudo cleaned herself up and boasted, "Mother, do not waste resources on a lowly Hylian! I was about ready to return home without a scratch, they just got–"

Dinaria had been making the poor choice to approach Saboorudorf casually, like any child would their mother. The issue was, and Zelda anticipated the reaction, she was not Dinaria's mother. So Nosef jutted her spear out in Dinaria's direction, impeding her advancement with a huff. Dinaria was taken aback at first, but didn't seem to understand. She stared at the tip of the blade in confusion before furrowing her brows and chortling in amusement.

"I almost forgot," She intoned, dipping her head down to show the glistening jewel upon her forehead, "I am an official member of the tribe now, mother. The Goddess blessed me with your same gem!" Zelda's gaze shot up and she was amazed. Saboorudorf's gift was just as wine colored and perfected as Dinaria's, catching any and all light beautifully.

Zelda frowned.

No one said anything as the Matriarch stood from her seat, jewelry jingling on her wrists as she lifted Dinaria's head and plucked the jewel from its golden holder. Dinaria's mouth widened into a smile, Zelda could see the whole desert within those big red eyes as her future was between two slender fingers. Saboorudorf glanced between her and the ruby, before–

 _Crack!_

Dinaria's orbs widened in absolute horror at the shattered pieces of her jewel on the ground, Saboorudorf stopping her foot callously on its remains.

The woman fumed with explosive rage as she broke the bones of Dinaria's dreams. "Do you think I am a fool?!" She howled, "Did you think I would not recognize painted glass when I saw it!"

Dinaria stumbled back, and Zelda wanted to stand, but Naru stopped her. This was not her issue to be involved in.

"I-I'm sorry," Tears ran down Dinaria's face as she tried to hide herself from the shame behind her hair. "I didn't know how to get it, the Goddess wasn't–"

"So you lie to me and disrespect her name?!" Saboorudorf shouted.

Dinaria dropped to her knees and bowed her head low. "N-No mother, I...I have a destiny! I know I can be a good dorf, the Goddess promised me, she said I would be great, but still wouldn't let me in; I don't know why–"

Saboorudorf barked at her to stay silent, peering down her peacock nose to deliver a haunting reality. "Dinaria, you will never become dorf...Because you are not one of us."

Zelda painfully looked away when Dinaria made noises of hysteric confusion. "Mother, please, allow me to try again, I can–"

"No Dinaria," Saboorudorf sighed, "I do not mean you are not part of our tribe...You are _not_ Gerudo. That is why you cannot enter the temple."

She started to laugh, unable to process any other emotion, mind weak and dazed. "I do not understand – I am your daughter!"

"No, you are not."

Something snapped in Zelda's mind, something about that phrase, about the way she said it so sternly and without thought. The Princess couldn't stop the image behind her eyes from moving.

 _The rosebud followed the curious sound of giggles and joy from within a room she was told was filled with sorrow and self-loathing. She stood, rooted at the door as she listened to what occurred inside, the sound of a painted woman chuckled happily from within._

Dinaria continued laughing, glancing around the room as she waited for the joke to come to an end, but it never did. Above her chuckles, Saboorudorf explained, "Nosef or Igesu will become dorf because they are strong Gerudo women. You are not one of us."

Her powerlessness set in, and she just stared, not fully processing the weight of her statement. Nosef took her chance to say, "Your hair and eyes are nothing like ours, ears pointed like pricks on a fruit. We believed it was a deformity, but the truth is now clear. Mother found you in the desert, but you are not ours, you are not from this world. You belong to them." She pointed to Zelda, and although Dinaria turned to look at them, she was blank, a hollow shell whose identity was shattered alongside her jewel. The Princess stood up.

"Whether you like it or not, your destiny is not in the desert. You are called by another Goddess, Dinaria, that is why you are marked differently than we are. Zeldadorf is your guide, not the Kargorocks...Will you not say something?" Saboorudorf questioned, concern finally dripping out of the holes in her mask of indifference.

Dinaria's fists clenched, not hearing a word, and she rushed over to an unsuspecting guard and yanked the spear from her grasp, pointing it threateningly at Nosef's face with aggression. The impulsive teen cried, "I challenge Nosef to a fight to the death. I _will_ be dorf!"

Saboorudorf and Zelda both gasped.

 _The rosebud wondered why the painted woman sounded so happy in the dead of night. Like her, no one would be able to appreciate their beauty without the light, so the rosebud wanted to learn what was so great. She knocked and waited for the painted woman – maybe she would prefer to see roses at night? She hardly saw the painted woman in the day, so light must have been the reason._

"No, mother," Nosef grinned at the challenge, " She must be put in her place."

Dinaria raged against Nosef, thrusting her spear only to have it countered by a very swift Nosef. Link grabbed Zelda by the shoulders and pulled her back and behind him, stretching his arms out to defend her and the children as the sisters battled. Dinaria blocked the incoming attack - but blinded by adrenaline, she rushed her elder, shoving her with the wooden shaft across her body. Nosef did the same, and they pushed against one another, growling to intimidate the other. Nosef kneed Dinaria, causing her to stumble back, and smacked her legs harshly.

She shouted in pain, crumbling to the ground. Nosef raised her spear up, and Dinaria summoned at her fingertips a raging fire. Their eyes burned with anger and betrayal as they moved to commit a heinous act.

 _The laughter ceased, giggles a thing of the past. The rosebud's petals rosied in anticipation, excitement blooming in her prematurely as she heard the doorknob turn. The painted woman answered, cheeks sketched with a flush, composition disheveled and bothered. Her ultramarine blue eyes were unimpressed with the rosebud's, a bottle in hand completing her design with swirled colors. A stranger was with her, not the tree as she expected. He smiled at the rosebud, but he didn't seem very friendly._

" _What do you want," The painted woman was not dry._

Just as the females prepared to kill one another, a figure entered the room dressed in white from head to toe, and they stopped, dropping their intent and gasping in shock. A Gerudo woman, face plump and pink like fresh fruit, waddled into the chamber with a lost gaze. Her long orange hair was tied into a loose braid that fell over her shoulder, and her jewel was a blood red. Her jewelry popped against the white of her gown, and her hands held her growing belly lovingly.

"What is going on?" She wondered innocently, friendly eyes tired. Dinaria threw herself at the woman and embraced her, burying her face into her shoulder and sobbing.

"You are not supposed to be out, sister," Nosef announced out of genuine concern, "Do you need something in the maternity tent?"

Igesu smiled, "My child wished her mother to be more active, is all. I am feeling much better now – Dinaria, please, not so tight."

"Igesu," Dinaria choked, "Tell them they're lying!"

The pregnant woman smiled and rubbed her back, humming softly. "What is Nosef trying to trick you into believing now, sister?"

"They are saying I am not Gerudo!"

Igesu paused, glancing at the Princess and then back at her mother. She hugged Dinaria harder, kissing the top of her head as she nodded to Saboorudorf. She grabbed her and whispered, "Dinaria...I shall always be your sister...Even if you are Hylian."

Dinaria looked up in terror, tearing away from Igesu and stepping back, not turning her back on anyone. She shook her head, digging her fingers into her scalp as Saboorudorf approached her, but moved away, running for the door.

 _The rosebud did not know what to say. She was not used to the following eyes of the painted woman, and just stared. The stranger grew restless and asked a stupid question drunkenly, "Is this your daughter?"_

 _The rosebud perked up. Any kind of attention was appreciated by a perennial, maybe she would invite her and help her grow with giggles and joy! The painted woman curled her brush-stroked mouth and spat, "No."_

 _She slammed the door shut, and the rosebud cried, "Mother–"_

"–Wait!" Princess Zelda tried to grab her as she headed for the entrance, but her cardinal strands of hair slipped through her fingertips. "Dinaria!" She disappeared into the bright outdoors, Naru and Fuana stumbling after her, but she was to stay put.

"I must go after her," Zelda begged, heart aching as her memories returned to the far corner of her mind. Link held her back.

"Leave her. She must handle her emotions if she wishes to survive outside the village." Saboorudorf frowned.

Zelda's eyes furrowed and she snapped, "Why did you have to be so cruel! All she wanted was to please you!"

The Matriarch did not take her words to heart, not allowing herself to be guilted by a childless woman. "Is pain not the trigger to adulthood? She cannot grow without pain, you saw how stubborn and dense she can be, not wanting to accept truths. This was the only way I could save her."

Igesu advanced to Zelda and rubbed her belly in concern. "You are here to take her away, you are Zeldadorf."

She nodded.

"The Goddess thanks you for your help. I am Head Priestess, and I wish for you to know that the Goddess is pleased with your efforts. Dinaria is still her child, but she is not from the mortal plane, is she?"

Zelda sighed, "No, she is not. None of the girls I travel with are. Hyrule is in very dark times," She glanced at Saboorudorf so she would listen too, "And the enemies of our land were seen by your temple. They captured Dinaria, and I fear they will not stop there."

Nosef's attention was grabbed. "These shadows, what are they?"

"Shadows, but not of the normal breed. Manifestations of negative emotions and mal intent that has turned into an entity from a living host. I implore you to come with us to Hyrule."

The three of them laughed, if not politely, at the offer.

Saboorudorf declined, "Igesu is in no condition to travel, and we go only where the Kargarocks will."

Nosef chuckled, "Gerudo living with savages like Hylians? No thanks."

Link frowned, "We're not all that bad, you know."

Nosef rolled her eyes, and Igesu added, We appreciate the concern Zeldadorf. I hope this interaction will mark a new era for our people."

"Or we can pretend 'this interaction' never occurred," Nosef chimed in.

"Either way," Saboorudorf stood between the grown women who glared at each other like grumpy toddlers, "Give Dinaria time to adjust. In the meantime, allow us to invite you to stay a night. You may use one of our spare tents as refuge."

"We would greatly appreciate proper housing for a night. Thank you very much for the hospitality." Zelda's jaw relaxed, breath filled her lungs after what felt like hours of suffocation. Worry and the ghostly taste of paint lingered in her throat, but was washed away. Her case was closed, and she smiled.

"I know we seem harsh and cold to your people, but I believe there is much we can learn from one another." Saboorudorf seemed to be smiling behind her veil.

…

Their tent was to be located right next to Sabooru's, and as the Gerudo citizens helped eagerly to set it up, they shooed Zelda and Link away. Most of them knew Hylian, imploring them to venture the town – the younger women even volunteering to give tours with Link at their arm. But before they could grab him, Zelda assured they would be fine, and took Link's hand in her own.

He yelped in pain at her grip, and she loosened up. The sun was preparing to set, tall shapely shadows stretching across the ground in relief. They stumbled in a marketplace where most of the shops seemed ready to pack up for the day. Link caught sight of Dinaria hanging around a jewelry stand, eyes sunken with melancholy and makeup smeared as she seemed to be telling Naru and Fuana something.

"They are wrong...I am Gerudo, a tribe of strong yet beautiful women," she traded her bangles for golden cuffs with a smile. The merchant waved farewell as Dinaria rushed to a weaponsmith and proudly cried, "I am a dynasty Princess of our people – warriors unlike any you've seen!" She rubbed the intricate designs on the hilt of a sword that seemed to tell an old narrative. Dinaria sniffled, "This is my home."

When she noticed Zelda and Link, she set the blade down and shoved past them, upset by their presence. A potter called her over and handed the teen a kore with shield and sword in hand. Dinaria seemed to be praising the woman for her craftsmanship, the figure appearing similar to the monument outside the temple.

"The Goddess created us in her image: warriors and mothers," she smiled, looking up only to catch her reflection in a mirror. Her mouth gently parted, and she began wiping away her smeared liner and cleaning up her lips, brushing some hair to the side and catching a glimpse of her pointed brown ears.

Zelda made a move to comfort her, but Naru was far too quick, standing beside Dinaria so her reflection showed as well, pushing her cool blue strands behind her ear with a soft giggle. "Ears pointed to hear to call of the Gods. We were made in the image of our Goddess too."

It soothed her for a moment, but not long. Dinaria lashed out in frustration, nearly throwing the kore back at the potter and making a scene. She pointed an accusing finger at Zelda and spat, "You planted a seed in mother's head! I know who you think I am – You see me as weak, and feel pity for me, so I must be your Din! Well I'm not! I am a powerful warrior like the Sand Goddess, not some easily manipulated fool like Din!"

 _How did she –_

Dinaria groaned, "I'm not one of you...Am I?" Tears lined her lower lid and she rushed off again, but this time Zelda did not allow herself to be held back. For some reason, she felt in tune with the teen's angst, and grabbing her wrist, she pulled her into a very tight hug.

To think, that months ago the idea of embracing another was icky and strange, but now Zelda found it to be her favorite means of connection. She had learned, from holding Naru, and Fuana, and Ilia, that a hug could communicate so much with so little. With her arms, she told Dinaria that she understood, and squeezed her with support. Zelda hoped they would get along – no, she was sure they would. She empathized with the feeling of powerlessness to your destiny, and she told her that with a pat on the back.

When they pulled away, Fuana touched Dinaria's arm and hummed, "I know it's sc-scary, leaving home...I had to leave my p-papa, and it was hard, but I don't re-regret it."

Naru shimmied in to grab Dinaria's veined hand and patted it. "We will be your family. Fuana and I are nicer sisters than Nosef, I promise."

This earned her a chuckle, and Zelda warmed at the way they huddled together. Naru assured Dinaria, "It's gonna be really confusing, but your destiny is _way_ better than just being dorf."

Dinaria's tears ceased, and after gathering herself, she looked down at the girls and smiled, "I suppose I have no other choice...Without my jewel, I am not a member of the tribe, and I can't get it because I'm...Hylian."

Zelda told her, "I will only take you with us if you want to. The decision must be yours."

Dinaria shrugged, "I guess I'll travel with you." Fuana and Naru jumped up in joy, and the teen pushed them away from her gently. "Don't touch me though," she hissed as if the children carried a disease.

Link wrapped his arm around Zelda's waist and kissed her head.

* * *

 **It has officially been two years since I started working on this fic, and I wanted to take the time to thank everyone one of you who has been apart of this story! Every review, every favorite, every visitor has made this experience so fun and rewarding, and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! SO, onto what you've been waiting for:**

 **Last year I had a special update opportunity for all of you to partake in, and I plan to do it again. Just like last year, if this story can get 10 or more reviews for this chapter, I will update on the 6th of January AS WELL as the end of January. Two chapters to start off the new year, AND another special secret surprise ;)**

 **Please let me know your opinions so far. What events were your favorites? What are your opinions on Dinaria? Has the story improved if at all? What was the highlight of your year, anything you'd like!**

 **In regards to the reviews; kansa, the "dorf" title is not canon in game but rather my attempt and developing Gerudo culture! This will not be the last time we see our desert friends :) Ultimate blazer, you are always one of the first people to review a new chapter, thank you for staying with us for so long! Hendrewn, thank you so much for reading doll, I hope the withdrawl symptoms weren't too bad - Here, a cookie for your troubles! I get what you mean about Link's trauma, and the real reason why it seems Zelda is the only one suffering is becuase I have choosen to write in third person limited to mostly focus on her, BUT you are so right, Link has his own problems and he can't keep bottling things up forever.**

 **I love you all so much, and hopefully I will see you all again January 6, 2019 ( doesn't that seem like such a fake year?)**

 **My editor who has worked way too hard this holiday season: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Once again, thank you all for your time and attention. Stay hydrated and don't talk to strangers! See ya**


	28. Chapter 27

_She held in her hand a mound of dried leaves and molted feathers, and mourned pitifully. Something in the shadows reminded the rose that it was her fault, and she believed it. She held them tightly against her stem and wept, a shadow separating from its mass of darkness to approach her. It hurt, and she wilted under its stare._

 _The Shadow knelt beside her and promised fresh sunlight behind unfeeling orbs, and she foolishly allowed him to move closer, a voice assuring her it was safe. Cold hands ran through her petals before shifting into the dark drops of oil paint. The painted woman pressed the rose into her canvas and mixed their colors. The rose felt elated, but the painted woman was stretched too tight, and wrapped her uncured hands around the rose's stem._

 _She choked, begging the painted woman to stop, it wasn't her fault that they died! Air was scarce and the rose slowly crumbled…_

Dark stood over her, hands choking her as she awoke from slumber. She snatched his wrists with a cry – only, it wasn't Dark, and their hands were safely resting on her shoulders. She panted in fear, wiping the sweat off her face as Link looked down at her in worry.

"I...had a bad dream," she huffed, the tent dimly lit by a fire outside. She blushed, Link was still hovering over her, producing no words to comfort the silence. It was night, and she brought her blanket closer to her chest. The Gerudos did not believe in privacy, it was taboo to seek refuge from one's family, so everyone slept with one another, cozy and protected with numbers. Zelda was fine with staying with a group, but the space they had was tight; everyone slept shoulder to shoulder, making her feel claustrophobic. Culture shock, she supposed.

"I can't sleep." Link frowned, cerulean eyes hidden behind loose locks. Zelda sat up, reaching out to make sure she didn't disturb the children, but – where were they? She glanced at the empty spot and panicked, where were her girls?

Link grabbed her chin and motioned her back to reality. "They're with Dinaria," he assured, pecking her lips softly.

"At this time of night?" she scowled.

He nodded, "There's a festival." She grabbed his face, his cheeks warm with confidence. The curve in his lips laughed at her reaction, but she would not apologize for instinct. Dinaria must have invited the girls to the festival while she was asleep, and Fuana, being the adventurer of knowledge she was, jumped to the opportunity. Naru probably refused, but once she saw Fuana go, she had to follow. Those girls were going to be trouble.

The crunching of sandals on rocks alerted them to a new presence, a tall shadow appearing at their entrance. "Zeldadorf," Nosef mumbled, "My mother has invited you to... _partake_ in our festivities." She sounded forced, like a child being told to apologize for hitting their sibling when they didn't mean it.

"And what is this festival for?" she pondered, not meaning to upset the Gerudo woman.

Nosef groaned, begrudgingly answering, "To officially mark the new season – now, will you attend or not?!"

Zelda turned to Link who shrugged in indifference. She supposed it would be good to unwind, maybe get to know the people better.

 _Run away from nightmares._

She shook the thought away. "We shall be right out."

…

The constant clamor of drums pounded in unison with her heart as she exited her tent. Link's eyes filled with the light of a bright communal fire in the center of the village. Nosef was waiting for them, arms crossed with a sour leer on her face. Most of the women gathered near the huge bonfire; the smell of strange meats and filling foods drew them to the heart of the event, but the Gerudo woman led them away to an area where children played and elders spoke in their native tongue. Dinaria was standing above Naru and Fuana, and upon noticing the Princess, approached with a smirk.

"Zeldadorf," she raised her pointed brow high, "I didn't want to wake you. I thought you would appreciate me taking the _vehvis_ off your hands for some alone time." She winked, causing Zelda to blush at the implications. Naru looked up and waved happily at them.

"I would have liked to have been told ahead of time, little one." she half-scolded.

Nosef towered over her sister and hissed. "Mother invited the Hylians to the festival. They are under your care now, don't be a nuisance."

Dinaria looked away with shame, hiding behind her long red bangs. Link approached the girl, and gestured to the commotion in the center, enamored by the delectable smells that permeated from a basket a woman passed around. This grounded Dinaria back into her over-confident ways, and she implored them to follow as she vivaciously headed toward the spectacle.

A tall fire burned passionately, a living creature enjoying the attention from a tribe of beautiful women. The night air was cold, but the heat which radiated off the pyre kept the energy around them warm and comforting. Gerudo sat in a large circle around the flame, some playing exotic instruments at speeds and tempos unlike any other, others chit-chatting about absolutely anything. Many danced near the fire happily, Dinaria swaying her own hips having been infected by the contagious enthusiasm.

A smaller Gerudo (and by small, Zelda noted was more akin her height) handed them a warm pastry that, when she bit into it, filled her mouth with a fruity surprise. Link gobbled it so fast you would think he would choke. "What is this?" Zelda asked after swallowing a mouthful of berries.

"Our end of season festival," She pointed to the girls, decorated in empty nut shells around their ankles, and shimmering coins around their waists, "We commemorate the Sand Goddess's final battle with the Darkness. The land was scarred by this memory, that is why nothing grows in the colder months."

Zelda turned to see Link continuing to devour the flavorful food given to him by twitterpated females, but tried to ignore it. "Tell me more about your Goddess."

Dinaria grabbed her attention and handed it to a dancer who faced them, face hidden behind a thin veil. "She was born from the eye of Her mother, hidden from the other ancient Gods' ill intent," The dancer moved her arms like a fighter would their blade, gracefully as another dancer chimed her jewelry in response. Dinaria continued, "It was futile. The Sand Goddess would not be silenced, and succeeded in every duel challenged." The veiled female then dropped to her knees as four other women circled her. "The God of Darkness was the only one able to weaken Her. He began casting neverending night across the sands, sending Her into a deep sleep." The surrounding girls dropped to the floor as the veiled female slithered up into a standing position with a large gold disk in hand. The crowd cheered, and the dancers gamboled away

"What was that ending?" Zelda asked.

"That shows what we have to look forward to. The Goddess sleeps after Summer, the nights grow long. But She takes the form of a cold-blooded serpent, and when the time is right, She will awaken with the sun in Her hands, having defeated the Darkness." Dinaria beamed.

Zelda was intrigued, mystified by a culture so different, yet the same. She hurt, though. She could see in Dinaria's eyes that the teen knew this would be her last memory with her people for a long time, and hung on to each second for dear life. Zelda frowned, wanting to help, only to have her attempted pat of support to be shoved away with a dirty look. Dinaria put compassion in the same box as pity, it was obvious to Zelda, and would rather change the subject than deal with her issues.

She gestured behind the Princess with a look that screamed, " _Of course this happened_." Link sat in between a crowd of women who swooned and treated him like a God. Food and drink was delivered his way in attempts at seducing him through his gut, but the poor knight was so oblivious to the advances that he offered to share with all of them. They cooed and preened, and Zelda bubbled in frustration.

"We don't get too many Hylians in the desert, only humans. Mating with a sharp-ear could produce a _voe_ , which means you get to be the next _dorf_. Plus, a _voe_ in the village has never been seen before." Dinaria tried to explain politely, but the grin on her face was so twisted, as if she enjoyed seeing the Princess upset.

"They should look elsewhere," Zelda spat, turning away in vexation after a woman with blue lips winked at her tauntingly.

"Have you mated with him?" Dinaria was surprisingly very mature about the question.

Zelda blushed at such an intimate subject. "Of course not, I– Hylians mate for life, you see and–"

"And that makes him fair game," Dinaria raised a brow and sighed, heading toward the horde of women with a mission.

"Wait," Zelda called out, "What do you plan to do?"

"Tell them he's off limits – don't worry, I'll be discreet!" She rolled her eyes as if Zelda was the teenager in the situation. Dinaria came before the crowd of females and began speaking in hisses and sharp phlegms, and most of the girls began to disperse – besides three. She returned to the jealous monarch with an excited simper.

"What did you say?" Zelda inquired, eyes still glued on the three flirtatious Gerudo.

"Just that he was taken, although those stragglers don't believe you."

Zelda scowled.

"But I know what to do. Two of them are cowards only acting brave because of Aral, the girl closest to him." Aral was a large woman, muscles and figure thick like a tree yet soft as spring flowers. She was intimidating, yet in a feminine way – she made Zelda feel less like a woman and more boyish in comparison. Zelda wanted Link away from them, but didn't want him to know how jealous she was to see him with another female. Dinaria nudged her, imploring she listen to her advice as she believed it to be good. She laughed, "You need to challenge them."

...

"Not many men get lost in the deserts anymore. They are a scarce privilege only a few get to taste. When two or more women find themselves interested in another man, they challenge one another to a _Kosai,_ a ritual dance whose winner receives the _voe_." Dinaria tiptoed very quietly as she led Zelda away from the festival and into another large hut. "Aral doesn't respect you, and why should she? You just sit and watch while other women throw themselves at a prized feast. The only boundary she will respect is a Gerudo one."

Zelda curled her nose and laughed out of astonishment. "You expect me to dance? Do you understand how ridiculous this sounds?"

"Do you know how ridiculous letting your _voe_ get seduced sounds? Do you want him or not?" Dinaria hissed.

Zelda pursed her lips. "This is the only way?"

Dinaria nodded.

"...Fine."

The teen grinned from ear to ear and beckoned Zelda into the dark yurt, whispering, "Auntie Gafosa, are you here?" Someone groaned from within; an aged voice low and raspy in tone mumbled in their language. It was a command that Dinaria followed, disappearing in the darkness soon banished by a kindling fire born from her fingertips. Dinaria lit lanterns until the home was bright, dressed with fabrics and odd instruments. Mountains of jeweled goods and basic resources kept the room feeling like a full belly: comforting and supportive.

Zelda stood at the entrance and watched an elderly woman rise from her sleeping mat with a grumpy huff. She reminded her of Impaz, wrinkled and small, but Zelda noticed her hair was still a bright copper. Dinaria came up to her and bowed to the elder out of respect.

"I am sorry to bother you Auntie," Dinaria couldn't help but smile. They must have been close.

The Gerudo woman scratched her scalp piled with a mass of highly decorated hair, and groaned, "What have you done this time Dinaria? Causing trouble again? Have you stolen Nosef's spear once more, because if so, you deserve the–"

Dinaria flashed her eyes at Zelda and blushed in embarrassment. "No Auntie, I have brought you someone."

Zelda tensed as Gafosa glanced back at her, face caked and drooping eyes looking down her long nose indifferently. The Princess waited for any smile or gesture of greeting, but the woman showed no interest, merely scoffing, "A Hylian _vai_ is not worth waking me, Dinaria." Zelda frowned, the Gerudo people were very candid, and Gafosa did not seem to mince words.

" I am – er, Zeldadorf? Pleased to meet thee." Zelda attempted to initiate the conversation but was promptly ignored.

Dinaria stood up and sauntered to the elder, batting her eyes and holding her hands together as she entreated, "My friend here needs your help Auntie. Aral is flirting with her _voe,_ and she wishes to challenge her in a _Kosai_. Won't you help her?"

The elder moaned, "So you _are_ causing trouble again, Dinaria." Gafosa pushed herself up off the floor using a strong cane as she approached them, scarlet lips surrounded with lines like the sand. She looked Zelda in the eye and asked, "Is this true, Zeldadorf? Do you wish to challenge Aral to a _Kosai?"_

Did she?

"I have been told it is the only way to stop the others from smothering him with attention." That was her honest feeling, she hated the way they gazed at him, touched him as they pleased. Maybe it was selfish of her to feel this way, that is why Gafosa stared at her with empty eyes, or maybe she answered incorrectly.

The woman turned her back to the Princess and pulled a shimmering plume from within her orange robes, declaring, "We are an ancient people, Zeldadorf, and we pride ourselves with our ability to uphold tradition." She steadily made her way to a headdress fashioned of feathers and placed it accordingly. "Do you know what _Kosai_ is?"

Zelda shook her head no.

"It is a mating ritual taught to us by the Kargarocks. When there is a scarcity of males, the females dance to win his affection. It is a beautiful sight, and is considered good luck if you are to witness it," she took a deep breath, "The winner of a _Kosai_ earns the right as _vai_ to enter true womanhood, and attempt to continue their lineage."

Zelda gulped, cheeks radiating heat at the implication of her words, and the way she peered over her shoulders to assert significance with her stare.

"It is not a contest, nor a show of superiority over your enemies, it is a sacred ritual. Many of our youth have not had a _voe_ , and they will fight hard to catch his eye. So I ask you again, do you wish to challenge Aral to a _Kosai_ , knowing the severity of what it entails?"

Zelda paused.

Faced with a question she avoided answering. What would happen to her and Link after this was over? A life in the castle was no place for someone so full of life and wild in spirit. It would break him – but without him, she would break too. The monarch bit her lip, the eyes of Gafosa and Dinaria beating down on her as her stomach twisted. But the eyes of another made her cold and possessive.

 _Eyes red like blood, filled with the sorrow of farewell._

"Yes." She answered without thinking, the voice of an old friend ebbing in her memory.

"Very well then," Gafosa nodded, walking to Zelda with a dominating aura. "For tonight and tonight only, you are Gerudo, and our laws must be followed. Once started, the ritual must be completed. "

"I understand." She would not be defeated by a horde of Gerudo women, not by the world she was a part of, and especially not by some woman no longer living in the realm of light.

"It is not Aral you fear, is it, Zeldadorf?" Gafosa accused sadly. Zelda hadn't even noticed how intensely she had been staring into the Princess's eyes, reading the pain in her irises. "No matter, the outcome of tonight is the will of the Sand Goddess, and you are already at a disadvantage."

Dinaria clapped her hands with excitement, jumping up and down happily. "Auntie Gafosa will make you beautiful, and I will teach you how to dance!"

Zelda raised a brow and inquired, "Could I not have you dance as my proxy?"

Gafosa smacked Zelda on the leg with a cane, causing her to yelp. "Dinaria is not of age to participate in _Kosai, you_ must grab his attention."

The monarch rubbed her calf and held back her anger at being struck. She assumed this is what she got for agreeing to be part of their ritual. It was then that another figure entered the room. Igesu, dressed in pure red and belly veiled in gold coins, noted Dinaria's presence first with a thoughtful grin. The teen, though, could not continue to hold the same beaten expression she gave Nosef, and instead ran to hug Igesu thoughtfully.

" _Sav'saaba_ Auntie Gafosa," she greeted with her silky cadence.

The elder responded with a series of hisses and hard vowels.

"You are participating in a _Kosai,_ Zeldadorf?" She wondered loudly before taking a seat by the fire. "For that _voe_ you travel with? How lucky of him to have such a strong _vai_ such as yourself give him the time of day. The Goddess smiles upon him."

Zelda brushed off the attention as Gafosa wrapped a string around every curve upon her body. Zelda ignored it and questioned the pregnant woman, "I see your stomach is adorned beautifully. May I ask why?"

Igesu's face glowed even more than it had before. "These are coins of fortune. I must wear them at night to protect my _vehvi_ from dark spirits that roam the desert without the Goddess's light. I want my daughter to grow big and strong."

Zelda's heart warmed. The only pregnant women she knew hid their bellies from the eyes of the crowd. To wear such a tight fitting dress and call such attention to it was taboo, and in her experience, so was actually caring for the child. _That is not fair,_ she reminded herself. Not every woman was her mother.

Gafosa scoffed and raised a sharp eyebrow. "You are far too thin, built like a sparrow. And your skin – pale as a corpse."

Zelda's eyes widened in shock at such statements, listening to the elder complain about her hair looking like dried tumbleweeds and lips small like a baby. In Hyrule, Princess Zelda was considered very beautiful, but here the standard seemed to be different. And surprisingly, that was very liberating, because here she was Zeldadorf, and that meant she stood out.

"Come," she commanded, "We have work to do."

Zelda had gotten so used to dressing and undressing herself these last few weeks, that she had forgotten what it was like to be dressed like a doll. She allowed Gafosa to remove her pauldrons and bodice; each time she tried to help, her hand was smacked away, until she was left in nothing but her underdressings. It was only until Gafosa instructed that she removed those as well that Zelda filled with discomfort.

"You require proper bindings," Gafosa scolded when she noticed apprehension.

"I already have them," Zelda blushed.

Gafosa crossed her arms as if to say, "Then show me."

The Princess faltered, but mustered up the strength to remove her under-trousers slowly, exposing the old bandage still wrapped around her chest, thankful that the lower binding at least hid that vice of her skin. Gafosa saw the bottom portion of her scar on her upper abdomen, but made no comment, handing Zelda fresh bindings for her to use and walking away.

When she returned, it was with an arm full of black silk. "Many years ago, a great river flowed through the desert," Gafosa explained as she began placing the clothing on Zelda's body, "...and its shores were the most fertile pieces of land imaginable. It is where the Goddess once walked, and when She left the mortal plane, She took the river with Her, and turned it into the sky. For that reason, our dorfs are cloaked with the fertile sands of the night sky."

"That is amazing...I am honored," Zelda blushed when she noticed her midriff was completely exposed below her beaded bra top. Her legs peeked from slits cut into her harem pants up to her mid thigh. It was a beautiful ebony, detailed with gold that matched the bracelets Gafosa was pushing up onto Zelda's forearm. She tried to hide herself, embarrassed not only by her skin (a very sacred part of her body) but by how pronounced the pink of her scar looked. Gafosa wrapped a hip scarf laced with small coins around her waist and nodded, "Go show them."

Timidly, Zelda emerged from behind the curtain and shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, feet still adjusting to the tight new shoes. This was far too risque of an outfit, she must've look ridiculous in something so sensual while being such an obvious prude! But Dinaria seemed to beam with happiness, and Igesu just stared in wonder at the bursting scar just below her breasts. But it wasn't out of disgust.

"Nosef," she called but didn't look away, "Look."

Zelda wanted to roll her eyes, scolding herself for not noticing Nosef's presence in the far back, bracing herself for the insults. But none came.

"It is hideous, I–"

Nosef grabbed the bottom of her own navy shirt and lifted the front up barely, just enough for Zelda to see a similar mark of her own. Nosef's; however, was more like a slash across the ribs, a harsh line that popped against her dark complexion. "Battle?" Nosef genuinely wondered, without a hint of insult.

"Yes."

"As was mine." Was that a glimmer of comradery? She quickly shifted back into her hard self, but was a lot less snooty. "You are lucky to have one so pronounced."

Dinaria must have noticed the confusion in Zelda's eyes, as she quickly added, "Battle scars are very beautiful. They are visible symbols of what you are willing to sacrifice for the good of your people. I can't wait to get one someday."

"That doesn't mean you can follow my patrol groups and attack the first caravanner you see!" Nosef snapped, but Dinaria was too busy daydreaming to care.

Gafosa chimed in, "She needs a jewel. Dinaria, you seem to like painting glass." She glared at Dinaria who shrunk away in fresh shame, touching the empty holder on her forehead sadly.

Zelda coughed, "I have my diadem. I am fine."

Gafosa peered at her and frowned, knowing Zelda had a crown all along, but just wanting to remind Dinaria what she did was wrong. Princess Zelda understood, but still felt bad for the teen. The elder then took an almond and held it above the fire, letting the skin burn and placing it in a dish. Somehow, this and another substance turned into a thick black liquid that Gafosa carefully painted onto Zelda's eyes, and a thin plum-colored one on her lips. A heavy necklace was wrapped around her neck like a python, jeweled with green orbs.

"Much better!" Dinaria cried, "You look like a real _vai!_ "

What was that supposed to mean?

"Next is dance," Gafosa grabbed a drum and sat down beside Igesu, "Now–"

"I'll explain," Dinaria jumped up, unable to contain herself. "The rules are simple. You and Aral take turns depending on which drummer plays. You have to follow the tempo of the musician until the song ends. It's really easy, watch."

Gafosa began to beat the drum, and each time her palm hit the surface, Dinaria's hip bounced up in response. The elder began sputtering noises that seemed to be keeping time with her pounding, and Dinaria implemented her arms, as if she were flying, and her abdomen rolled like waves. She was fluid and had excellent control over every inch of her body, it was as if she had no bones, but was just made of the untouchable energy that was fire. Her hips shook like an earthquake alongside the fast tappings of Gafosa, and Dinaria was done.

"Dinaria is the best dancer in the village, isn't that right, Nosef." Igesu smiled.

Nosef rolled her eyes, "That is not a lesson Dinaria."

The fiery teen scowled at her and then turned to Zelda, instructing, "Alright, here's the basics."

She stood, feet together yet knees slightly bent, and held her arms out to the sides of her. Zelda mimicked her pose, but not good enough as Dinaria still came over and to correct her knees. Dinaria continued, "Now straighten up one knee." And upon doing so, the left side of her hip raised high. The teen showed her a series of basic moves, and was tasked with following her as Gafosa played a song. But that's when the problems came.

Her stomach began to ache, and Dinaria reminded her to not use her hips, but to use her knees – she was sure she was doing it right! Her brow began to perspire, face red from the stares of her audience as she was instructed to puff her chest out. Gafosa chided her for lack of attention, and Dinaria stopped to push Zelda's chin up.

"You are doing fine, Zeldadorf," Igesu must have noticed how flustered she was becoming.

Nosef was a lot more honest. "You are far too stiff." She sashayed over to the Princess and took Dinaria's place at her side. The warrior assumed position and began moving sharply, like a slashing blade. Zelda noted that each dance was different, an extension of the dancer; Nosef moving like a cat o' nine tails, whipping her body and thrusting her form outwards. It was an intimidating grace, very natural and open. When she stopped, the Gerudo woman clarified, "You must feel and expect the music. Just like an opponent, you must predict the next beat, engross yourself in it. Heart is just as important as talent if you want to win. Dance is not made to provoke others with what _they_ want to see, it is what parts of your spirit _you_ wish to show them."

Zelda nodded, appreciating this newfound openness. "Thank you, Nosef. Have you done your fair share of _Kosai_?"

"I prefer the company of _vai_ ," She crossed her arms and headed for the entrance apathetically. "You better win. I do not want your _voe_ fornicating with our women."

Zelda frowned. Maybe they weren't connecting like she assumed.

"Don't let her harsh exterior fool you," Igesu giggled, "Nosef is really kind hearted."

"She hates me and my people," The monarch stopped her dancing to raise a brow.

Igesu rubbed her belly and closed her shimmering eyes, her understanding glowing on the apples of her cheeks. "Believe me, she means well but is not very good with outsiders. She wishes only the best for our people, our numbers being so small now. She finds your presence threatening, because it reminds her of why we are stuck wandering."

The Princess took an empathetic stand but still argued, "I do not wish to damage what little relationship the Gerudo people have with Hyrule."

She nodded, "I know. However, a Hylian _voe_ mixing with a Gerudo increases her chance in producing the next dorf. If someone like Aral, or any of the _vai_ for that matter, bear a son, my mother's Dynasty is over. Nosef will no longer have power over what happens to our people." She snapped her eyes open to glance at the teen, "You and her have a lot in common, Dinaria. Both are stubborn and want only what is best– I wish you two would not fight so often."

"What do I care," Dinaria played with her hair stiffly, lips pouting and ruby orbs downcast, "She'll be happy with me gone."

Igesu shook her head in disagreement, "She'll miss you stealing her jewelry, and watching you dance."

The girl dressed in white bit her lip and fought back tears of homesickness. Igesu and Gafosa whispered to her in their language softly; an air of maternal care sweet like incense filled her heart. They consoled and loved her without question, and Zelda couldn't help but smile. "This isn't about me!" Dinaria shook their words away, "Zeldadorf is still a terrible dancer!"

 _Well, that was rude._

Igesu laughed, "It's because you're a terrible teacher, sister."

…

Word spread of the Princess's challenge like wildfire. Women of all ages, big and small, peeked their heads in to watch the Hylian _vai_ attempt their rituals. Some laughed, others nodded their heads in respect of her efforts. It helped rid her of stage fright, training herself to ignore the eyes that roamed her body. It was empowering, being seen so vividly and so freely. Yes, their dances were hard and a bit too provocative for her tastes, but she could not deny that it made her feel confident. Some girls cheered, and their mother pulled them away.

 _You shall never be alluring as her, though_ , her personal demon reminded her of round hips she did not own, and the breasts she did not have to puff out. It caused her to delay, and she worked hard to force herself to focus on the thumps of the drums.

"Immerse yourself in the music," Gafosa mentored, but just as Zelda tried to roll her hips, she grew tired. The elder stopped her playing and sighed, "Take a break Zeldadorf."

She stayed stoic but her heart lurched anxiously, "I do not have time to take a break, Link–"

"The festival lasts until the sun rises, relax." She grabbed a stone bowl and filled it with water and herbs, concocting a strongly scented tea. A trio of girls, maybe a few years senior of Dinaria, stumbled in and plopped themselves beside the Princess.

Zelda watched them as they oddly stared at her.

"You are strangely built," A freckled Gerudo noted.

 _She is far prettier._

Gafosa handed Zelda a warm cup of the tea and motioned for her to drink. She let the hot liquid run down her throat and kindle a flame in her belly. There was not only water in this cup, but something much stronger. She felt her muscles loosen, and she begged for more with a simple gesture.

 _He thinks of her often, and you know it_.

"Now, don't overdo it Auntie," Igesu warned, tightening her long braid.

Gafosa ignored her, and granted Zelda another cup, leaning in to whisper, "Helps you forget."

Zelda took hearty gulps. Gafosa had no idea how blessed such drinks were to a busy mind haunted by her past. It was the wind, the howling ghosts summoned a special image in her head, and spirits were her only escape. They had to be.

The pain as it burned was punishment for her bad thoughts, and the numbness was her reward. _Liquid courage_ , she recalled Elric say, and her heart ached. The bottles under her bed, why was she hiding them?

"Can we help you?" Dinaria growled at the trio of teens who touched Zelda's ears curiously.

"Zeldadorf," one with hooded eyes inquired, "Are there not many _voe_ in Hyrule?"

The Princess finished her cup rapidly, and wondered what they meant. "No, we have a relatively even population. Why do you ask?"

Dinaria huffed, "Yeah Rorel, why waste her time with such a stupid question!"

Her hooded eyes narrowed in spite, "I wasn't asking you Dinaria, I was asking Zeldadorf! Ifem was curious!" She pointed to the freckled teen whose eyes widened at such an accusation.

The third girl, who wore her hair in three large buns, chimed in, "We ask because we hear you plan to challenge Aral, but why would a dorf waste her time on one _voe_ unless there was a shortage."

Ifem added, "Telamia finds this very curious."

The bun-haired girl scrunched her face and reworded, " _We_ find this very curious."

Zelda sat up straighter, and fiddled with the coins under her top. "He and I are together."

"He was your mate?" Rorel inquired.

Zelda's face went scarlet. "No. We are...in love."

The trio looked at one another to make sure they were not the only ones confused by the statement. Zelda thought back to what Raerani described to Fuana and tried to explain, "In Hyrule, _vai_ and _voe_ live together. When they fall in love, wanting nothing more than to be by one another's side, they are courted. But Hylians are not like Gerudo. We mate for life, and the action with another than our first only leaves us in excruciating pain, unlike humans."

"That sounds terrible! Spending your life with the same _voe._ " Ifem covered her mouth in shock.

Zelda couldn't help but chuckle lowly. "I am sure it sounds that way, but we find great comfort in it. To love and be loved...it is the greatest feeling." She closed her eyes and imagined his sweet smile, the curl of his lips each time he laughed at something she did or said. His protecting arms, his fresh scent of cut grass.

Gafosa chimed in, "There was once a time Gerudo took boyfriends and lived with them outside the village."

"Is that what he is to you then," Ifem curled her freckled nose, "A boyfriend?"

Telamia interrupted, "How do you know he is worth a _Kosai?_ "

Zelda pondered this question for a while. What could she say to accurately explain the lengths a mortal would take for love? She paused, and answered without a shadow of a doubt, "Because I cannot be happy without him."

The trio didn't fully understand, but were genuinely curious. They smiled, pleased by her answer and soon ran off, Ifem stopping for a moment as if she wished to ask another question, but thought against it. Maybe she had a _voe_ of her own she felt was important. Zelda smiled to herself, there definitely was a lot they could learn from each other.

"Zeldadorf," Dinaria poked her arm, "I think it's time."

Zelda's face went white with worry as her stomach dropped. "Now? Am I even ready?"

The three women nodded, although not completely confident. Gafosa coughed, "You should do it now that your body is rested. The Goddess will tell him which one of you is the best, just trust in Her judgement."

"This dance is an expression of your soul Zeldadorf, and it is pure. All will be well." Igesu assured, but Zelda could not ignore the butterflies that tickled her innards. Zelda thanked them for their help and support, assuring Gafosa she would return the jewelry, but she refused.

"I give them to you as a gift. May it fill you with power each time you don them."

Zelda nodded graciously, and followed Dinaria outside the yurt. The night was humming with energy, the cold could not touch her skin heated with nerves. She assumed they would head straight to the village entrance, but Dinaria went to hide between two tents, and placed a finger on her lips.

She whispered, "Are you nervous?"

"Of course I am," Zelda responded in a hushed voice.

Dinaria's wild eyes widened mischievously as she pulled a small flute seemingly out of nowhere. "I know how we can be sure victory is yours."

Zelda tilted her head and listened as Dinaria played a tune so hauntingly familiar, that Zelda nearly slapped the instrument out of her hand. But when Dinaria finished crooning the Song of Commands, she was rendered motionless.

"What have you done," Zelda gasped, noticing that when she rose her tanned hand, the Princess did the same.

"I figured this one out myself. I call it the Puppet Song. Anything I do, you do until I stop it." She beamed proudly, twirling and dancing elegantly. And to Zelda's surprise, her body did the same, bending and contorting in ways she didn't think possible.

The demon within her convinced her still-buzzed mind that this was a possible solution to her problem, but she shook it away. "That is a forbidden magic, Dinaria," she snapped, "It is completely illegal!"

"Don't be such a killjoy."

"It is cheating!" She pushed down the bile that rose up her throat at the memory of what evils came from this spell.

 _The rose watched in fear as her petals and leaves were not her own, bringing harm to the sun she loved so dearly._

"Do you want my help or not!" Dinaria argued.

"Not this way!" Zelda hadn't meant to yelp like a wounded animal. She tried to cover her panic up by staring Dinaria down until she felt control return to her limbs. The teen was quiet, expression angry but returning to a mellow state.

"Fine." she growled, pushing past Zelda to head for the festival.

The bands still played their instruments, people still ate but at slower paces. Link was comfy with the fire warm on his face, eyes half shut as he continued to eat whatever they handed him. How was he not sick by now? He was drowsy, almost dozing off and not really noticing the way Aral and her painted nails played with his sandy hair.

All her trepidation melted away with the heat of the community fire, and she was filled with determination. The women perked up upon noticing her presence, and Zelda relished in her ability to put them in a stupor. She was once seen as weak and small, but she would prove just how strong Hylians can be!  
" _Aral!"_ Dinaria called out with a clamorous cry. The largely built Gerudo woman sat up and glared at the teen before noticing Zelda behind her. Link too looked up at the sound of Dinaria's voice, and eyes widened in wonder.

It was like he found a cave filled with expensive jewels, his smile reaching from ear to ear as his fresh orbs roamed Zelda's figure. She fought hard to tear her gaze from him, her face blushing as she noticed he would not look away. He leaned to the side, hoping she would notice him, but she could already see the question burning on his tongue.

He wanted to know why she was dressed the way she was, why loud chimes erupted each time she moved, why she looked so serious when she should be eating delicious food. Aral must have noticed his eyes focused on the Princess, because she quickly blocked his vision and shoved her chest in Zelda's direction possessively.

Dinaria stepped in and sang, " _Sav'saaba Aral, Kosai a tasah Zeldadorf."_

People hushed to observe the interaction as the muscular Gerudo woman hollered with laughter. She bent over to look Zelda in the face and smirked, "You challenge me to _Kosai_ ,Zeldadorf?"

Zelda narrowed her eyes and puffed her chest, "Yes."

The crowd gasped at such a declaration, but Aral was unfazed. "So be it," she chuckled, shouting commands to the band so they would prepare a song. The women stepped more into the center of the clearing that acted as their stage, and as the band tested their instruments out, Dinaria whispered a very supportive, "Good luck," before going to stand between two tents nearby.

Things would have been completely fine had Dinaria not then pulled the flute out, and began playing it while the band's noises covered her. Zelda's body stiffened as a betrayed raged consumed her insides – did the child have no power over her own actions!

It was when the band started playing that Zelda understood why Dinaria would interfere.

 _BUM! BUM! BUM! BUM!_

Immediately, Aral's thick body channeled a feminine essence Zelda thought was impossible for a muscular physique. What she lacked in fluidity she made up for in raw power, hips aggressive and chest bouncing with the strength of an earthquake. Zelda feared the ground would shatter beneath the woman as she danced with great vigor. She would stomp her feet to intimidate the Princess, but kept in tempo with the drums. The slower they played, the slower she popped her sides, and would take time to roll the abs within her stomach like ocean waves. She had power, and she was very good – her dance reminded the Princess of a running horse: graceful mid motion, but when their hooves hit the ground, you know standing beneath them was a death sentence.

The drums slowed, and Zelda assumed this was a sign that it was her turn, because Dinaria willed her knees to bend as her arms extended. Aral did the same, and as the music picked up, so did her body. Zelda stole a quick glance at Dinaria, who intended to put Zelda's long legs to use as she made a circle in the dirt with her pointed toe while rocking her hips accordingly. Her arms twisted together like vines until her hands opened like blooming flowers. Zelda's heart began to race as she felt her core burn; a loud tambourine played _cling cling cling_ , alongside the sway of her side. She moved like a swan in flight, gracefully yet fast paced. She looked Aral in the eyes only to find her scowling, immediately choosing to look away. _This is still cheating_ , she scolded just as Dinaria made her hips move with the speed of a rabbit's foot. She returned to a calm position as Aral went through her next round.

She mocked Zelda by placing great emphasis on the control of her chest, bouncing and shaking it around. She moved to dance a circle around Zelda, arms not as smooth as hers but still very organic in the way they mimicked her image of blooming. This was, according to the crowd's reaction, a gesture of disrespect, copying another dancer's move. Aral then bent her knees very low, and as she stood, shook her hips violently as the drummer slapped her instrument abusively.

Her turn again, and Dinaria found her own way to intimidate the opponent. She raised Zelda up on the balls of her right foot, hips moving freely as her hands went up to sinuously raise her hair, exposing her slender neck. Zelda caught a glance of Link who stared at her as if she were a stranger, lost in the way she moved. But then something snapped, she no longer felt the pull of invisible strings guiding her hips to victory. She brought her legs together and stared in horror as she was once again in control of her body, awkward and unsure what to do as the drums continued to sound. She improvised, trying her best to keep up with the pounding, but was raidly falling behind. Luckily her session was done, and Aral resumed hers.

Zelda's eyes darted to where Dinaria was hiding, only to glimpse Saboorudorf and Nosef hovering over her as they seemed to interrogate the naughty teen. Dinaria broke the spell so they wouldn't be caught, and although Zelda was glad she didn't have to cheat to win, she was completely lost! The girl briefly turned to Zelda and mouthed "last". Was this next round her last one? She needed to think quick. There was no way she could keep up with Aral who moved like poetry in motion.

 _Immerse yourself in the music_ , she remembered, and closing her eyes, the Princess listened to the various noises that came from the band that played with all their heart. She attempted to match it with the beat of her heart, the pump of her arteries, listening and feeling. This dance was supposed to be an expression of her soul, right? What did that soul have to say?

 _I will fight for what is important to me._

She opened her eyes and saw not only Aral, but her father, and Dark, and every member of the crowd that made her feel small. She saw Midna, and she saw herself, and maybe it was the alcohol settling in completely, but she felt ready to take them. It was her turn, and she was by no means any good. The coins on her sash rattled and chimed as she swayed religiously, pure feminine power possessing her as she began to feel like an image of powerful beauty. The band played for her, but she did not dance for them, and although she moved like a confused fighter, it was still her. She leapt around freely, hair growing wild as she twirled and twirled and twirled – finally shaking her hips rapidly as she raised her arms high up into the heavens as if she was the only entity stopped the sky from falling. Zelda was by no means good, but was definitely passionate. She recalled how Dinaria would bring "drama" into her dance, and as her final gesture, she brought her arms back down to her sides; a rainfall of scarlet red rose petals following as she released a great sigh of contented relief.

The music stopped, and Aral looked in her direction without expression. She then turned to Link, as did everyone else, and knew without a doubt that he saw the Princess before he did the stares. He smiled at her, and she smiled back.

Dinaria and Nosef appeared surprisingly pleased, and Saboorudorf stayed stoic as ever. Zelda walked over to Aral and stayed polite, wondering what she should say. The large Gerudo woman; however, was the first to crack a smile. "That was...interesting," She chuckled, "He is yours, Zeldadorf."

She stepped aside and Link stood up, glowing like the gold in her outfit. Zelda covered her midriff with her arm and blushed. Aral whispered in her ear, "If you do not complete the ritual, I will."

Zelda nodded, approaching Link and grabbing his hand. He opened his mouth to talk, but she yanked him to follow her as she ran. She tried not to think about what came next, her body radiating heat as she was rejuvenated with satisfaction. They reached their tent and she pulled him inside, praising the Sand Goddess that the girls were still out. She had her back to him and reminded herself to breathe.

He made a noise of astonishment, completely amazed by what she did, even if he didn't understand what it was. "You look amazing!" He beamed, touching her shoulder. She flipped around to meet his stare, brows furrowed as she bit her lip. He frowned, wondering why she looked that way, and to silence his questions, she shoved her face forward and took his lips with hers. She could still taste the sweet breadcrumbs.

Pulling away, she buried her face into his chest and sighed as the euphoria of the night settled down, and she reminded herself she was not a Gerudo woman who won a plaything. She mumbled in embarrassment, "What you just witnessed was a courtship ritual between two females over a male. I agreed to partake in it, and it does not end until the act of obtaining a mate is completed. But...you deserve a choice."

He made a cross between a gasp and grunt, hands twitching on her shoulder for just a second. She peeked up at him with a thick blush and judged his reaction. He was looking away, face sunburnt and eyes wide.

"Link," she whispered, "Look at me."

And he did, features youthful and simple. He almost choked, "Rituals are very important."

She almost let out a laugh at how awkward he appeared. "That is true."

"Which means," He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged his shoulders, placing his hands on her jaw and kissing her softly.

Her heart skipped a beat, and as he moved away for a moment's breath, she agreed, "You are right, not following our host's customs would be very rude." Link nodded, giving her light pecks as they sat down gracefully on the floor. She deepened the kiss, and he responded by leaning into her, and placing a strong arm around her waist as he led her to lay atop the many silks and pillows in their hut. He hovered over her, and she bent her neck so he could caress the milky skin with his lips as he so wished to during her dance. He was so warm, she wished to feel all of his skin against her own so badly, it made her want to scream.

She began removing her jewelry and diadem, all worthless in this moment as reminders of a world and duties she was exempt from while in his protective arms. He placed wet, hot kisses down her collarbone, and she mewed when he reached the surprisingly exposed swell of her breasts. She stopped him though, pushing for him to focus on her eyes once again. She saw her reflection in those celestial orbs, hair like a halo around her as she blossomed with red cheeks and shoulders underneath him.

"Link…" She breathed his name and she noticed his body struggled to control itself.

"Yes, Zelda?" He glanced down at her, wondering if she was hurt or uncomfortable, but with her hands she caressed his fear away.

"I must ask you this, before we move any further," She bit her cheek hard, until it bled, "As you may or may not know, Hylians, we...we mate for life. And to follow through with this means you have bound yourself to me until the day you die. Any other partner is possible, but would be excruciatingly painful." His stare did not waver, as if he had already considered the idea before and accepted their future. But he didn't seem to see the bigger picture. She did not break eye contact as she said very clearly, "I cannot assure that you will be allowed into the castle as my chosen partner, do you understand that? Because of politics, I may have to–"

He didn't let her finish, as he nuzzled his face into her neck so to stop her from continuing. Why did she use the phrase "may have to" – she should tell him the truth. But the way he held her, as if the thought brought him great physical pain, made her feel guilty to speak of it.

"Your life will be trapped within stone walls if you choose me," she mumbled, "And will consist of fake conversations, words you do not understand, and standards to fill at every corner. You may no longer have time to adventure, or feel free. Decisions will no longer be yours, and your life will always be in danger."

"But I get you?" He pulled away from her and smiled.

She nodded.

He gave her a kiss that said, "I don't mind then."

She ran her fingers up into his hair as his hand reached her waist and set her aflame. He maneuvered to lay on top of her between her legs, and she enjoyed the feeling of him so close. They urgently removed all the barriers that kept them away from one another, soft skin to soft skin. His fingers played her like an instrument, and she sang out to please him. He lovingly kissed her scars and held her with urgency. She wanted more and more of him, hands roaming and scratching his back when – with one sharp movement and the pain of transformation, they were one and the same. It was as if they lived life with only half a soul, now a whole in a unity that birthed wave after wave of pent up pleasure. She had never felt such pure happiness before, as he kissed her feverently with each fervid movement against her. She felt all of him, and he her, as their tent filled with the sweet song of love from parted pink lips.

…

Little did the Princess know, sleeping soundly in the arms of her love, that a meeting was taking place within the land touched by Hylia's light. An allyship built on false truths and deception was made while she visited the realm of sleep, and a shadow cackled at an unsuspecting fool who eagerly consumed lies if it gave him glory.

…

Zelda woke far earlier than she would have liked, a muddied dream slipping fromm her mental grasp each moment she lay with her eyes opened. She smiled, unbothered by lack of sleep, at the sight of Link on his side, arm still draped over her hip as he kept her close. Their skin was stuck together, and turning to face the other direction felt like pulling dough off a rolling pin. He moved in his sleep, scooting closer to her and burying his nose into her hair. She put her hand over his and cursed herself.

 _Why did you not tell him about Prince Harod_?

 _What does it matter? He will not arrive._

 _And if he does?_

 _He agreed to the terms._

She smacked her head lightly, guilt gnawing at her insides. She should have said something, not giving information was just as bad as lying.

Link yawned loudly, stretching his arms before placing a kiss on Zelda's shoulder. He greeted her with a good morning smirk and sat up, bare torso a slight surprise to him. She laughed at his expression, and sat up to change herself. He traced the scar on her thigh and chest thoughtfully, and she kissed him for caring so much. They gathered themselves and were greeted by Gafosa and Igesu outside.

Link and Zelda shot with red at the knowing gazes of the women who pelted seeds at them. "You have fulfilled the ritual Zeldadorf, congratulations," Gafosa smacked Link's calf with her cane. He gasped in pain, wondering why she hit him.

Igesu rubbed her pregnant belly and prayed, "May the Sand Goddess guide you home safely. Please, make sure Dinaria stays out of trouble."

"Of course," Zelda accepted. They were led through the streets of the village where the women waved goodbye to them, handing them rucksacks now filled with food and water. They thanked the Gerudo people and met Dinaria and the others away from the tented city. Saboorudorf and Nosef were talking to the teen, while Naru and Fuana stood with ointments lathered on their skin. Naru yawned, and upon seeing the Princess, asked, "Where have you guys been? Raerani said we had to sleep in her tent."

"She taught us a lot about f-food ways!" Fuana lit up.

Naru scoffed, "Yeah, and you kept me up!"

Zelda left the girls to bicker and approached the Gerudo women who looked at one another somberly.

Dinaria turned to Zelda and said very sternly, "I am going with you not to save Hyrule, but to save my people from those shadows you say exist, okay."

"Understandable."

The red-haired girl nodded her head and glanced back at her mother who lifted her veil to reveal her angular face accented with pink scars from a blade's edge. Her thick brows furrowed as she stated, "Dinaria, I will always be your mother, no matter what. You may not be the fruit of my womb, but I am still very proud of you."

"Thank you mother," Dinaria's face lifted.

"Write us frequently. I will send my Kargaroc to send and receive your messages." Saboorudorf insisted.

"I will."

"And before I forget," She reached into her pocket, and to Zelda's astonishment, pulled out the Goron Ruby. She took the pendant and pulled the ruby out of the gold holder, and attached it to Dinaria's forehead. "That stone was given to the dorf before me in an attempt to trade goods. The creature explained it was used by a Hero, so we kept it as a symbol of good luck. I wish for you to have it now, Dinaria."

Tears streamed down her face as she touched the jewel on her forehead with great pride. She nodded her head and gathered herself. "I will not disappoint, mother."

Nosef added, "Do not die either."

Surprisingly, such a blunt and callous statement seemed to warm Dinaria's heart; Zelda knew it held so much more weight coming from Nosef.

" _Sav'orq_ …I'll be back soon."

And after a long hug, the completed party was off, and the village became smaller and smaller on the horizon, until the blazing sun was all you saw. Zelda and Link walked with arms linked, and Dinaria showed them how to live off the desert and travel more efficiently. Naru whined and Fuana studied; all was right at the moment.

They had the Goddesses, now all they needed to figure out was what to do with them. After two days, they reached the edge of the desert, and Dinaria's face widened in shock at the vast Hyrule before her.

"May I try?" Fuana asked the Princess as she noticed her prepare to cast Farore's wind. Zelda, surprised by the question, cautiously allowed her to try. Fuana put her hands together, and Dinaria only looked more lost as she felt strong winds carry her up off the ground, and the next thing she knew, her feet were on the stones of the Bridge of Hylia. Dinaria doubled over and laughed, because she did not know how to respond.

Fuana stumbled back, but Zelda praised her for a magic well done. She turned to Dinaria and greeted, "Welcome to Hyrule, Dinaria."

She touched her head and laughed, "When can I learn to do _that_?"

* * *

 **Special Thanks to:**

 **Pax Imperialis Ave Imperator, Tek Sonay, Hendrewen, AzHasANewName1, Ultimate blazer, Guest, Andrew, I'm sad ( original and ver. 2)**

 **And now for the surprise:**

 **h (t t) p s : / / sh ardso fthe rose.t umb l r.c o (m)**

 **(Take the link and remove the spaces and parenthesis, or just look up "Shards of the Rose")**

 **Inspired by a suggestion made by Arietta Serenade I have made an archive of all extra content made by me and my editor SunnyAirisu222 involving Shards. Please check it out if you're interested in drawings and other random things cx**

 **My editor who works so hard: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Love you all so much, and see you at the end of the month! Don't forget to R &R. stay hydrated and get plenty of rest 3**


	29. Chapter 28

**Don't forget to tell the people you care about that you love them. They'd really appreciate that.**

* * *

"Welcome to Hyrule, little one." Zelda proclaimed, moving closer to Dinaria who had eagerly scurried to lean on the Bridge barrier, and crossed her arms on the stone.

The girl made no response, only stared with pining orbs at the sands now freckled in the distance. Zelda noticed Dinaria began to shiver, no longer comforted by the desert's warm embrace, and motioned for Link to offer her a cloak to wear.

The monarch cast a look below at the tranquil Lake Hylia and frowned. The waters were still polluted black, although now in condensed sections like oil. Her stomach twisted at the question: Were her troops successful? Link released a grunt of concern that grabbed their attention, and went to hold Zelda's hand as a squad of armor-clad Zoras approached them.

Their large fish helmets hid emotions, but their bodies were held stiff and unsure. Dinaria gasped at the aquatic creatures and held her ground aggressively. Zelda touched her shoulder, assuring that they were friend and not foe, but they were so foreign, the desert girl scarcely believed her.

"Princess Zelda," The commanding officer stepped away from the group and greeted with a low bow, "What a relief to see you are safe."

"The water, it is still sickly," she watched as he removed his helmet to reveal scarred gills and hard features. Out of the corner of her eye, Zelda noticed Dinaria soften at the bright teal orbs of the Zora man.

He smiled, scales emanating a silver sheen as he explained, "It has gotten better though, we are still working to clean it. Our King will not be able to return to the Domain until all is well, but we have made progress. It would be best if the Captain of the Guard gave more information."

"And where is Lady Ashei?"

"She left for Kakariko yesterday; her husband was wounded, so they could not wait for you any longer." The Commander placed the helmet on his head once more and saluted her.

Link and Zelda exchanged glances of concern. "Is Sir Shad alright?"

"The scribe is built like a cockroach, he could survive anything the Gods throw at him."

Zelda nodded as she turned to Link, declaring, "We should head out then. We have no time to waste." They bid the Zora platoon farewell and crossed the Bridge to a patch of wild grass. Dinaria's red eyes filled with the lush green on the ground and she ran her hands through it. She seemed disturbed by the presence of flowers, unlike Fuana who eagerly picked them.

Link produced a necklace carved into a horseshoe and called for Epona with a song that filled the silence of Hyrule, and the teen gasped at the mare who bolted happily to her master. Link rubbed his steed's soft nose and laughed as she nipped at his hair. He lifted Naru up first, and then Fuana, but when it came to Dinaria, she backed away. "No way!" she shouted, scared of the creature but not willing to admit it.

"She doesn't bite." Link tried to assure, Epona shaking her mane in offense.

Dinaria frowned, "I can walk."

The green knight's face twisted in shock. "It's a long walk."

She crossed her arms and marched forward. "There's no room for all of us on its back. If you guys can walk, so can I!"

Link prepared a noise to combat her nonsense, but Zelda stopped him. "Let her be stubborn." she insisted, sure that eventually the girl would grow tired and let her guard down. The couple began their journey home, to a warm bed and hot food, but still Zelda could not shake the feeling of being watched.

…

It took Dinaria a few hours before she grew tired of walking, but she wouldn't accept defeat so easily. Instead, she trailed behind them, head high and stance proud, but Zelda could see the way her knees wobbled with each step. The trip was nearly complete, and each break felt like an interruption to progress. The village was across the fields, visible on the horizon and so tantalizingly close she could almost hear the fanfare for their return.

She sighed, and Link held her close, hand delicately on her waist as they walked. Dinaria chuckled behind them, being the only other person on this journey to know what occurred beneath desert stars. Zelda blushed, would the child be able to keep a secret long enough?

"I can't wait to s-see the d-d-doctor again, I have so many new herbs to sh-show him," Fuana mused, "I hope Luda has been t-taking care of him."

Naru yawned, "Who cares about plants when I got goodies." Zelda snapped her head to see the blue-haired child pull out gems of various colors and sizes from her pocket.

"Where did you get those you little rodent?" Dinaria spat.

Naru stuck her tongue out at her. "Raerani gave them to me as a gift."

"P-Please don't fight," Fuana paled at the sour looks the two gave one another. Link turned to Zelda and asked with a wrinkle by his eyes if Nayru and Din had a history of quarrel in their folklore. Naru threw a tame insult at Dinaria who eagerly swung back with her retort.

The Princess closed her eyes and sighed, "I suppose water and fire do not mix well with one another; however, no matter what battle took place between the Gods–" she cleared her throat to casually shout back at them, "–Hylia was sure to end it."

The girls silenced themselves with a grumble, and Link muffled a chuckle. They continued in silence, dark clouds beginning to form overhead as the wind became crisp and harsh. Brittle leaves started to brown on the trees, and Zelda's gut sickened. She held her hair as a hard gust almost knocked her over, a voice whistling in the wind. She paused, heart pounding at the familiar cadence traveling the air.

A memory assaulted her without warning as she heard the whispers of the dead.

" _I...See you later..."_

Her jaw tightened at the promise in Midna's voice, but she reminded herself that such jealousy was counterproductive, she already had the heart of her love, bound together by a bond he agreed to to.

 _Wouldn't you like to give in to your demons at least once. What if he regrets you._

Zelda was still as a statue, heart pounding as Dark hissed within her mind. Link looked back at her as he noticed her stop, and her mouth opened to speak but no words came out.

 _Keep walking._

She did as she was told, afraid of the consequences of going against his wishes. She wore a mask of tranquility as they trekked, Zelda keeping a few paces behind Link who didn't seem to notice her change in demeanor.

"How are you doing this?" She whispered to the villain, fists clenched but ears ringing.  
He chuckled. _You got into my head, I got into yours. A perfect balance; don't you like those._

Traveling his memories was a terrible idea, she should have never let her anger get the best of her! Her eyes darted over to Link who was giggling with Fuana, the Master Sword on his back glistening. Maybe she could –

 _That won't purge me this time._

"An exorcism should do it then."

His chuckle rattled her skull, but his connection seemed to weaken. He was not as strong as she feared. Zelda smirked to herself, this was a good sign.

 _Don't get cocky, wench._

"Like hell I won't," she snapped, closing her eyes to try and push him out of her mind. He stayed quiet, but was definitely still there. He growled, as if not finding what he was looking for. "Do you search for your darling?"

 _Shut up, whore._

The venom in his voice and choice of words held great weight in her cognizance, but she wouldn't let him get the best of her.

 _You're lucky I can't wrap my fingers around your pretty little neck. You think you're invincible right now with Din in your grasp._

Zelda glanced back at Dinaria who was rubbing her cold arms aggressively. "What are you planning," she asked threateningly.

It sounded as if he was standing behind her, mouth close to her ear as the wind caressed her cheek like a breath. He chortled, _You think you have her, but history shows Din has only one Master._

Another gust and he was gone, her mind her own as she was left with a bitter taste in her mouth. What did any of that mean, what was he implying, why did he–

"ZELDA WATCH OUT!" Link shouted back to her.

Whipping around, she barely missed the front of a thick tree branch swung in her direction; she jumped back, bumping into Link and knocking him over. Dinaria snarled like a rabid beast, clutching the weapon tighter in her hands as she attacked Zelda once more, hollow eyes blind to her victim. The Princess grabbed the branch and shouted, "Dinaria what are you doing!"

The teen tore away with a newfound strength, the monarch dodging and avoiding the weapon in a panic. Fuana screamed as Epona reared with a fearful whinny – Naru jumped down and ran to Zelda. Dinaria prepared another strike just as Zelda extended her hand out to her, and suddenly, the light of a small barrier encapsulated the assailant in a blue jewel. Naru gave a loud grunt, and Zelda saw that she too had her hands out, nose dripping with blood as Dinaria pounded the barrier with her fists.

Thick black veins traveled up her arm and into her neck, curling themselves across her cheek like the stain of a devil's kiss. Zelda gasped at the too familiar image of possession, cursing the very ground they stood on. Dinaria produced flames in the palm of her hands and hurled them at the crystal until Naru could hold her no longer. The child let go with a loud shout, crumbling with fatigue, Zelda reaching for her before Dinaria dare harm the girl. But just as she took a step forward, there was a loud _whack!,_ and Dinaria collapsed to the floor – limp as wet laundry. Fuana stood behind her with a branch clutched tightly, wearing a look of horror.

"D-Did I kill her…" She began to hyperventilate, shaking like a leaf as Link stood up and began tying the teen up. He checked her pulse, and sighed in relief.

Zelda helped Naru clean her nose and held her close in thanks, nodding to Fuana and motioning her to put the stick down. Link turned to Zelda and wondered what caused such strange behavior.

"Dinaria is possessed," she announced matter-of-factly, gesturing to the spiderweb veins that sullied her skin.

"What do we do then?" Link wondered with a frown, sitting the unconscious girl up.

"Naru is far too drained for me to perform an exorcism now. The sooner we get to the Shaman, the better. Until then–"

A series of groans escaped Dinaria's plump lips as she tilted her heavy head back, red irises lost and forlorn. "W-What is going on…" she mumbled, breath hastening when noticed her hands were bound. Naru and Fuana shrunk back in alarm, but Zelda came forward.

"Oh God, is it true? Din is a monster – I'm a monster." Her eyes shot open and she wore an expression of hysteria.

Zelda waved her hand in front of Dinaria's face and mumbled an incantation of sleep, and Dinaria relaxed into slumber. "You define yourself, little one. Din may have been corrupted once, but I promise you I shall not allow that to happen again." Zelda whispered to her sleeping form.

…

They continued traveling with Dinaria sleeping on Epona's back the rest of the trip.

 _Din has only one master_ , the thought haunted the Princess with each step on the red earth. When they reached the gates of Kakariko, they were greeted with mixed expressions. Fuana and Naru could not contain themselves, running off to play with friends and indulge in smiles and laughter. The people cheered for Zelda and Link, ecstatic to see them return in one piece, but when Dinaria arose with her limbs bound like a wild animal, their grins faded.

They were leery of the Goddess of Power, prejudice still thick in their blood, even after a festival in her name. They blamed Din, and Dinaria could sense she would be shamed here even more than she had in the desert. Her proud eyes were cast down, and Zelda tried to pull their attention away from the girl, but it was futile. When the reached the Sanctuary, she stumbled away from the Spring fearfully, the spirits must have spoken to her for the first time, and she wished not to hear them – it only made her feel like more of an outsider.

Once inside, Shaman Renado and Telma greeted them with joyous sighs of relief. The Shaman approached them slowly upon noticing the girl dressed in strange garbs. "You found her." He gasped, but Dinaria looked away. Her eyes hovered over Telma who filled her with curiosity, her very Gerudo features yet sharp ears must have felt familiar to Dinaria, which she expressed through a steady stare.

"In the Gerudo Desert, yes." The Princess nodded.

Telma crossed her arms and smiled, "What was a little cutie like you doing in the desert?"

Dinaria furrowed her sharp brows and grumbled, "I am Dinaria, Princess of the Gerudo, daughter of Saboorudorf. I will not be talked to like a child!"

Telma and Shaman Renado exchanged glances of confusion, and Zelda assured them with closed lids that she would explain soon. "She requires an exorcism, Shaman." Zelda requested.

He laughed as if she were joking. "No holy power can cure adolescence, Your Highness." When she didn't chuckle, his smile fell, "You are serious."

Zelda pointed to the black veins still protruding on her body, starting at the back of her hand. "The shadow has managed to possess her somehow. She attacked us on our way here."

Dinaria opened her mouth to argue, but with her cool gaze, Zelda assured she was not speaking ill of her character. The Shaman inspected her arm with great interest and clicked his tongue. "I will see what I can do, this is an old magic. Come child." He led her to a bench and sat her down, Telma following after.

It was then that someone opened the door, and sprinted to envelop Link and Zelda in a very tight embrace. Ilia cried out in joy, her brooch digging into Zelda's chest as she hugged them. "I'm so happy you guys are back!" She pulled away and patted them down, emerald orbs overflowing with tears of happiness. "Well, how was the desert? Link, did you treat the Princess like a proper Lady out in all that heat?"

He blushed, giving Zelda a look she couldn't understand.

"Ilia, how is Shad? I heard he was injured during the battle." Zelda inquired.

"Him and Ashei are on their way now – is that her?" Ilia pointed to Dinaria who was leaning back with her eyes closed as the Shaman bathed her in thick smoke. "She's just a kid too," she frowned, but didn't let it bother her too long, "I hope you don't mind Your Highness, I went ahead and called for a meeting after I heard you were back in the village."

"It is alright, we have lots to do." Zelda invited Link to his seat beside her, and he shuffled in place. The position was a little different now, wasn't it? The real question was whether or not she would bring it up today, but she pretended not to notice the inquiry in his celestial eyes. She coughed and excused herself to speak to the Shaman who appeared to be done.

Dinaria opened her ruby orbs to clear skin; however, the varicose veins on her hand were still an inky shade. "There is an ancient magic here," he whispered to the Princess, "I can only lessen the symptoms, and that would require cleansing her once a day. You are so busy, I would hate to force you into that schedule."

Telma cleared her throat, grabbing their attention and tapping her foot. "I'll take care of her."

Dinaria looked up at the woman with slightly parted lips and wide eyes. Shaman Renado tilted his head, "Are you sure?"

"Why not? Everyone in the village has to do their part, so why not have her work for me and learn to be humble at the same time?" Her cat-like eyes cast Dinaria a look. "Plus, it gives me a reason to see you everyday, Shaman." She winked at him.

He grunted. "Princess Zelda?"

She nodded, "I see nothing wrong with it."

Telma smiled, "Then it's settled." She turned to fully face Dinaria and extended her hand kindly, "I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Telma."

The girl looked up at her, wide-eyed and unsure. Yet, the more Zelda looked at the bar maiden, the more she found similar features seen on Saboorudorf: the hooded eyes, painted lids, and sharp brows; Dinaria must have found comfort in them.

She shook her head carefully, and without realizing, said softly, " _Sav'aaq_."

Telma, taken aback at first, let her features melt with warmth as she helped the girl up and laughed, " _Sav'aaq_ , huh? I was told the Gerudo people were extinct, and only mutts like me existed, ha ha! Maybe there's a lot we can learn from each other."

Dinaria seemed pleased by her answer, gingerly following behind Telma as they left the Sanctuary. The Council Nohansen began to pool in; Earl Kemp, Counselor Fane, Mayor Bo, but as Zelda began counting heads, she couldn't help but frown.

"Where is Alger?" she pondered aloud.

King Ralis responded," I last saw of him, he was on the watchtower roof."

Shaman Renado added, "He has been spending most of his time alone since the King's death."

"I see." Zelda nodded. It only made sense that the courtier be near the last remnant of his king. She felt sorry for the bird-like man, her father's death was hurting him more than she expected. Auru offered to do the documentation while Alger mourned.

Just as she was about to call the meeting to begin, Ashei stumbled in with Shad in her arms, his shoulder wrapped in thick bandages and eyes wide with embarrassment. Link gasped and stood to help her, but the warrior simply carried her husband to the table and sat him down, checking him like a doting mother.

"Give him some air woman!" Earl Kemp scolded, but she ignored him.

Zelda furrowed her brows. "By the Gods, I heard you were injured Sir Shad, was it that bad?"

He gave a nervous smile that glowed with the blush on his tanned face as he patted Ashei's hands to a stop. He assured awkwardly, "Not at all Your Highness, my wife is just very protective of me."

Ashei crossed her arms and almost angrily objected, "You were injured in the middle of a battle, and I'll be damned if I let my husband die under my watch." Her dusky eyes made the mistake of glancing in Ilia's direction, and Zelda caught the wave of remorse that slapped Ashei across the face after the blonde noticed the accusing stare.

Zelda interjected before any argument could begin, "Everyone is on edge. A lot has happened these few weeks, and a lot of questions need answers."

"That is why I insisted on being here Your Highness," Shad produced a book from his jacket and held it out for her to take, "The Battle for Lake Hylia is right here."

Zelda ran her gloved hand over the leather cover speckled with water spots and started to read.

" _Princess Zelda XVIII separates from the main party with Sergeant Sutter with success. Captain of the Guard Ashei leads her men into battle along the Hylia Bridge where a horde of Bokoblin patrol. Earl Kemp and his battalion escort the majority of Zora soldiers toward the Domain, via passage found by Zora forces._

 _Archers ready themselves initially, and rain a series of arrows down on enemy forces. No other form of enemy is seen present. Bokoblin mob send their calvary in the direction of Hylian forces; they are messy yet effective in wounding foot soldiers. Captain Ashei calls for defensive tactics while organizing a small squad to rush the enemy. Proves successful in dwindling combatant numbers, but leads to a game of cat and mouse between groups. Two hours pass, enemies begin to convulse and explode sporadically after the ground begins to shake. Hylian forces pick off remaining Bokoblin…"_

A splat of blood on the page caused Zelda to glance up at Shad who rubbed his shoulder.

" _...I have been shot in the shoulder with an enemy arrow. Captain Ashei commands soldiers hold their ground and await the return of Zora soldiers and Earl Kemp..."_

Zelda looked up at her company. "And what was the result?"

Earl Kemp shrugged his large shoulders. "We apprehended an oracle. She was hiding in the Domain, sitting in a puddle of her own filth behind the Zora throne."

"And what happened to her." The Princess primed, needing to coax the conversation further.

King Ralis answered for the group slowly. "According to my men, she...she melted, mumbling nonsense about an Old God."

Zelda slammed her fist on the table without making an expression, trying to hide her frustration. "And the water?"

"Filthy," Regis answered for his King, "But slowly getting cleaner. It seems we will need to coexist a little longer."

Zelda hated his tone.

"That isn't all, Your Highness," King Ralis begrudgingly admitted, "In your absence, we had a group of deserters."

Her blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

Earl Kemp spat, "Dishonorable dogs they were, Your Highness.

"It's a lot more complicated than that, Lord Kemp," Regis narrowed his jade eyes, "Soldiers talk, Princess Zelda, and our people spoke of your past transgressions against us. Those documents you signed may be in the Domain, but our people certainly remember them."

Zelda dug her nails into her palm until she was sure she would draw blood. "Those were forged documents and you know it."

"But your soldiers didn't, so some unwilling to hear our merciful King decided they would rather leave than serve their Queen." He shook his dorsal fin in disagreement with their attitudes.

Zelda rubbed her temples, room spinning with a myriad of emotions. Link touched her arm, but all she wanted was a cold drink. Her body pounded with her heartbeat, mouth dry from the heat of anger as she wanted to just hide from their judgmental stares. Someone asked for her news, but she was already irritated at the woman's voice in her head reminding her, _You are pathetic._

"We found the Goddess in the desert," she growled, "With what remains of the Gerudo tribe." She assumed they made noises of disbelief, and hurled question after question at her, but she couldn't hear, the torches in the room were too bright, her skin too heated. She shot up from her seat and hid her panic as she called a recess, rushing out of the dark Sanctuary into the burning sunlight. She tried not to run to her room as faces flashed behind her eyelids.

 _The rose watched as the lovebird fell to the prick of her thorns along with her many rosettes, their screams of agony like a sick animal._

She was in her room and fought her very hardest to wait until the bad feelings passed, but the pain in Ilia's eyes, the thought of her people doubting her character, the weight of those who died in her arms, it was too much! Zelda scratched under her bed for a bottle of wine she had stashed like a greedy beast, and swallowed as much as she could. She closed her eyes and hid her face in her bed as she waited for the sweet dance of intoxication to greet her. The bad thoughts melted together until they were unrecognizable, a happy buzz rocking her into numbness. It wasn't enough though, she could still feel the lingering sadness in the pit of her stomach that could easily be avoided with a few drops of spirits.

But a knock came from her door, and she rapidly shoved her bottle back under her bed. She didn't give him the okay, but Link entered anyway, timidly checking in on her at first. He smiled sadly at her, wondering if she was alright.

"I am fine." She focused all her attention on appearing her usual regal self, but it was proving difficult. If Link noticed, he didn't make it apparent. He strolled in and knelt down to where she was sitting on the floor and cupped her face with his warm hands. She melted under his touch, all the pressure and feelings of letting people down seemed ridiculous when looking into his sky blue pools. She saw hurt in him, and she was envious by how strong he was regardless. It made her guilty for drinking the pain away. But it was her only way, he just didn't understand.

She giggled in an attempt to hide her discomfort. "Those royals – they are all drunks huh?" she mumbled, and he either didn't hear or wished to ignore the comment.

"Shaman Renado said, if you wanted–" He kissed her nose, "–We could collect herbs for him during the recess. He thinks it would help."

"Help what? There is nothing wrong with me," She grinned like an idiot. He paused, handing her water, sitting next to her silently.

…

She wasn't sure how long they sat in her chamber, but she did know her embarrassment was immeasurable. Link made no comment on her obvious moment of partial drunkness, and she felt it was best that way. They descended down into the lobby of the Inn to see Dinaria bossing two Eldin Virgins around as they happily fulfilled the wishes of their Goddess. The teen beamed with her newfound position of power, but when Telma noticed, she swooped in to give a piece of her mind. Link escorted Zelda outside where Epona waited patiently for her master's return, eager to gallop about with him.

They were to collect herbs in the fields, not too far from the village, yet not so close that danger could easily follow. It would provide her mind some time to relax before returning to the meeting. _It will be nice_ , she kept reminding herself, breathing in Link's scent so to fill herself with his calm. The afternoon sky was stitched with fluffy white clouds that reflected a slightly golden hue. It blessed the ground with warmth, complimenting the spots of orange and yellow that had begun to form in the trees. Epona galloped healthily, and Zelda enjoyed the feeling of the wind in her hair and on her skin as the sea of green grass ran beneath them.

Link found a spot he deemed the best for their search, a shady area beneath a tall tree with purple wildflowers. They slowed down and dismounted at this spot freckled with flowers, and began their search in the grass. Link showed some difficulty, but Zelda was able to find most of what was on the list written by the Shaman. The Hero ebbed after a while, plopping down on his side and placing the flowers on her head while she worked.

It made her chuckle, the way he watched and showered her with petals as if she were a spring nymph. "May I help you?" she laughed.

He shrugged, "I was just admiring how beautiful you are."

She playfully shoved his shoulder. "You are such a flirt," Her smile began to fall, "...What are we to do now, Link? I feel like all the progress we have made has only put us right back where we started."

He sat up, reaching out to gently encourage her to lay in the grass with her head resting on his lap. He then began to run his fingers through her hair, pulling the stresses from her mind and sprinkling them on the ground like flower petals. She sighed, outstretching her hand to rub her thumb over his soft lips as she lost herself in his smile. He encouraged her to sleep amongst the flowers, kissing her forehead tenderly. A yawn slipped passed her lips, but she wouldn't dare try to rest while his eyes were rimmed with purple. He hadn't been sleeping well either; why was that?

The question made her lurch forward. She knew Link suffered from his own demons, but would never share them. They were bonded, it was her duty as his other half to care for him even if he did not want it. Epona sauntered over to a patch of tasty clovers just as Zelda turned to press her lips against his surprised mouth with sweet rhythmic motions. They breathed the same breath as she peered up behind long lashes and hummed, "You should rest as well."

He paused, eyes flashing with age before closing with a smile to assure her he was fine, but she didn't believe it. She roughly grabbed his collar and crawled on top of him, pressing her nose to his as she read each line on his innocent face. He blushed under her scrutiny, falling back on his elbows as her hands ran over his body, feeling each small scar under his tunic. She bent down to run her lips over his neck, stopping at his pulse as his form melted beneath her. She would return the favor of washing the painful memories away. Dark hurt him just as bad as he would hurt her, if not worse; his wounds were on his conscience. She felt like a failure to a group, a faceless entity with varying lives and wills, but he felt like a failure to her: a person of meaning, an irreplaceable individual whose life was above his. She thought back to the first time she saw him cry, and held him tighter to kiss away his pain.

There was a rumble, but not from his chest. The clamorous pounding of hooves pulled them from their serene dream, colors dulling at the sight of stallions charging toward them aggressively. Link pulled Zelda up, but the foreign cavalry was moving fast – a lone rider ahead of the rest chased after them as the couple tried to mount Epona. Zelda reached to grab Link's hand, but was snatched up onto the cavalier's lap as he circled Link and came to a stop. His men followed in suit, and Zelda kicked and screamed against him.

She heard Link draw his sword, but the cavaliers grunted in warning. "Unhand me, you cretin!" Zelda barked, glaring up to try and bite her assailant who tightly held her arms.

He was young, platinum blond locks glowed like the clouds at sunrise, a goofy grin of delusional pride lit his hazel eyes. He gave her a smolder, pushing a few strands of hair behind his round ears wrapped in string to force a point, as he bellowed, "Fear not my love, your Hero is here!"

"Are you mad? Who are you?!" She wiggled her arm free and was about to punch him, but he took the gesture as a formality, taking it mid-movement and kissing her knuckles.

He cleared his throat, "It is I, Prince Harod of Neighsdon, your betrothed! Here to break the spell put upon you!"

The words reached her ears like a slap across the face, her face mimicked the white of his eyes as she saw how horrified she appeared in their reflection. All she could think of was a single word:

 _Shit._

Link paused, she could see him slowly processing the words over and over again until they made sense. But they weren't making sense, and she noticed his eyes widen at a realization known only in her nightmares.

"Y-You're...betrothed?" Link whispered, stepping forward, face white with confusion yet burning with betrayal. He shouted, as if asking the Gods, "You're engaged?!"

Zelda's blood went cold, world shattering around her to reveal a harsh reality behind her wondrous looking glass, "I-I can explain–"  
Harod interjected, "Explain not my love, he is but a fake! I have met with your father, and he told me of the mind tricks placed upon you by this imposter! I am the real Hero, and will save you accordingly."

She tried to hide her anxiety, manifesting it as pure anger at the fool before her. "What in the name of Hylia are you talking about, King Daphnes is dead. You spoke to the very creature that has thrusted Hyrule into turmoil!"

He pulled her close and cuddled her as if she were a toy injured during play. "He said you would think that my love, but believe me, you are under a spell! I am the Hero of Time, chosen by your Goddesses to save you!" Zelda and Link stared at him in disbelief as he showed a crudely drawn Triforce on the back of his hand, mixed with a green tunic and makeshift hat he wore on his head. "I have been so fascinated by Hylian mythos, I even converted for you my love!"

He was completely mad.

"Let her go!" Link threatened, blue orbs burning possessively at the way he held her so casually. The Prince opened his mouth to speak, but Zelda took the matter into her own hands, hitting him between the legs happily. He howled in pain, releasing her sharply. She dropped down and ran to Link, the cavaliers pointing their lances at her, but the Prince motioned them to stand down.

"Blessed Hylia," He groaned, but still managed to smile , "You are a strong woman. I will forgive you my love, because you are under a spell, and my undying adoration does not let me hold ill will against you!"

"Leave us alone!" She warned, calling Farore's winds to whisk them away from this overwhelming scene.

Still she heard the Prince cry out, "I will save you my love, don't you worry!"

…

The pair descended down to the shore of the Eldin Spring, plopping down in awkward and angry silence. She avoided his stare, but he wouldn't let her hide away so easily. "You're engaged," He laughed, face red with a plethora of different emotions, "Were you going to keep this a secret forever?"

He had a right to be infuriated with her, but she couldn't help but fight back at the words that made her feel sick. "None of this was supposed to happen, I did not anticipate this!"

Link gestured to the two of them. "You mean _this,_ or getting caught!"

Something snapped, and a feeling of wanting nothing more than to scream at him filled her core. She felt like he was accusing her of being like her mother; even if that wasn't his intent, she still found herself comparing her actions to the late Duchess. "It was arranged, I could do nothing about it, it is meaningless!"

He ran his hands through his hair and paced, turning his back to her as his voice lowered in torment. "That was why said what you did...In the desert." Shivers ran up her spine when he stared at her with a broken heart. "How long...How long did you know about him?"

At some point, they had garnered a small audience, and they waited for her answer just as eagerly. She frowned at them, her sins catching up to her. Her heart ached at the way he looked at her, small and vulnerable – it was all her fault. She could lie, but it was withholding truths that got her in this mess to begin with.

She opened her mouth, but another voice cawed instead. "Prince Harod of Neighsdon is here?" Alger stumbled from whatever hole he was hiding in with a happy smile. He appeared tired, but lit up at the prospect of help. "Your fiance still came Princess, he can aid us – Neighsdon can help all of us!"

The people mumbled with a minor sense of joy, but Link and Zelda spun away from them, her face contorting with sorrow as she bitterly announced, "He is not my fiance, and they will not be helping us."

Alger spat vehemently, "And why the hell not!"

"The shadow has somehow convinced him that I am under a spell, and that Link is the demon."

He shrugged, "Tell him otherwise, then we can hold a quick ceremony, unite the Kingdoms and then send for help. Neighsdon would _have_ to respond."

"That is impossible." Zelda faced her people who darkened with disappointment.

"What do you mean it's–" He took a step forward and read her face, eyes widening and lips curling into a frown as the pieces came together. Princess Zelda braced herself for his tantrum, looking him dead in the eyes as he would–

 _Smack!_

Her cheek stung.

"You stupid whore! Do you know what you've done!" Angry tears streamed down his face as he screamed ballistically at her. "Neighsdon was our only hope and you throw it away, all for a tryst I knew wouldn't work! You have doomed us all you damned woman!"

He had slapped her, it had barely set in as she touched her warm cheek. It didn't hurt, and neither did his words, but the look on her people's face made her want to drop dead. Alger winded his hand back for another backhanded hit, and she was ready to take his punishment.

Yet, as he swung at her, Link grabbed his arm and shoved the old man away. He spat at Link's shoes and hurried away with a frustrated huff. Link kept his back to her – no matter how indignant he was toward her, he still had a promise to keep. She felt so sorry, she only wished he would look at her so she could prove it. The crowd didn't matter, they were a sea of faces, an entity that is ever changing – but he was an individual, a companion she swore to protect. She deserve his hatred; she had let him down.

* * *

 **As if things couldn't get anymore complicated.**

 **Special thanks to:**

 **PumpkinBoss, zero1991, FuriedNight, Spectre17214, SweetestChick, kansa, and luisAM21**

 **You guys are awesome, I appreciate you all so much - from reviewer to silent reader, you have my thanks. This year started a lot different than how I expected it. My grandfather passed away about a week ago after a long battle with COPD, so I dedicate this chapter to him. His name was Paul. You never got to read my first novel gramps, so here's to you marine.**

 **Everytime you leave home, take the time to say goodbye to your family. If you haven't seen a parent or grandparent in a while, or even a friend, shoot them a text of hello. Every second counts my friends :)**

 **My lovely editor who started his first year of college but is still kicking ass: SunnyAirisu222**

 **Don't forget to R &R with any comment, question, or concern - I love to hear to from you! Don't eat yellow snow, and stay hydrated my lovelies! See ya!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Sorry for the late update, College hits you sometimes**

* * *

She swore to protect him, yet she was the one who hurt him the most. Being alone was her fault, and her fault only – she could only blame herself. Princess Zelda sat beside an empty seat with a contrite face as Council Nohansen talked over her. They avoided her pitiful eyes, pretending she didn't exist; but all she could think about was the chair without a person in it. Wrongdoing squeezed her like a choke, the pressure in her chest causing her heart to palpitate as she stupidly searched for his face within the Sanctuary. Of course he wasn't there. He was furious with her, and has every right to be.

The Council members would steal glances her way, the ones she called friends held pity and confusion in their dreamy orbs, beneath the shouts of Lord Kemp.

"So what do we do about the Prince of Neighsdon? We can't just sit here!" He argued, fat face sweating.

Counselor Fane, who seemed to have spontaneously grown a backbone, stressed, "The agreement between the Companions Convention has been compromised, who knows how the Prince will react to know his bride-to-be's kingdom is weak. Especially since she went against a legal agreement."

Zelda flashed him a look of discontent at his choice of words.

Shaman Renado needled, "I say we avoid them at all cost for now. Your Highness, what do you think? You interacted with your...betrothed." The word brought him a discomfort nowhere near her own.

She stayed still and upright in her seat, voice soft yet pained. "They do not know where we hide, nor does the Prince seem smart enough to plan anything suspicious. But he has been tricked by the shadows into believing that I am under some spell, and he must play Hero. Either way, I want nothing to do with him, he would only be a bother to the progress we have made."

Many in her council disagreed, but wouldn't dare voice it.

Zelda continued, "What is most important now is the Goddesses. Dinaria has something within her that cannot be exorcised, and although the Master Sword was able to purify the Hero and I during our afflictions, she is not as lucky."

Shad spoke up from his spot within the Resistance, gripping the rough fabric of his robe, "That magic must be very old then, before the time of Hylia."

That was what she feared. "I have a feeling," she articulated, " That the next step closer to ending this madness involves ridding the girl of this curse. How we shall do that is unclear." She went on, mindlessly explaining her discoveries within the Desert with no enthusiasm. She wished to leave and search for him, but their questions seemed to pour from their mouths like heavy rains, drowning her in impatience. She did not give many details; Telma decided to take control of the conversation having spent a day with the teen. For the love of Hylia, could she leave now?

The meeting was adjourned, and she rushed to leave the cramped room. The cool air was refreshing against her kindled skin as she leaned against the side of the Sanctuary and read the peachy clouds that hovered above her. The setting sun shone like molten gold on the land, but she was unimpressed by its beauty; it was dirt to her. The markets were bustling with gossip from bored mouths, but she peered past the hungry eyes to rest on a hitched Epona. She drank out of a small trough recently brought out by Fuana who lingered outside the clinic, playing with the flowers in her hair.

Zelda swallowed her self-pity and followed her heart to find her hurting lover. She knew her pretty words would never convince him she was sorry, but she had to try. She maneuvered through the sea of people, until she found herself on the shore of the clinic, walking in a dream as she planned all the sentences she would not say. She was scared, but knowing he was upset with her fueled her bravery.

The contemplative monarch paused at the entrance and stared at the doorknob absentmindedly. Fuana might have noticed her apprehension, but said nothing. It was better that way. Epona even seem to exhale in disappointment. Zelda breathed in deeply and held her shaky hand over the dusty metal. Was this wise? She bit her lip. _What would the Hero do_ , she kept reminding herself. A hero would go after those most important to them, in 3...2...1–

The doors opened, but not by her hand. Looking up, she saw two icy eyes that darkened in her presence. Link stepped back, not out of shock but out of duty, shoulders rigid as he turned away from her. She couldn't move, only watch as he bowed to her like everyone else did, and said unemotionally, "Your Highness."

She stiffened her quivering lip and glanced away as well, placing a stoic mask of hard reservation upon her features. "Hero," she greeted coldly back. He released small sound before straightening his back and walking towards her. She tensed, prepared for his touch that would send her into a flurry of tears and apologies, but it never came. He walked right past her, guiding Epona into town.

 _He hates you,_ the voice in her head chuckled.

A single tear ran down her right cheek, heart heavy as he no longer saw her as Zelda, but as the incompetent girl gossip made her out to be. She deserved the shame, but coming from him hurt so much. "Seems the lovers are having issues," Doctor Borville replaced Link in the doorway, large eyes amused.

She glared down at him and tried not to sound angry as she asked, "I am sure he has told you, then."

"He didn't have to," the Doctor crossed his short arms, "I can see it in his face."

Zelda clenched her fists, panic setting in. Her heart and mind were caught in a hurricane of regret and suffering, and it was becoming more and more difficult to handle. "I am not feeling well," she noted, almost desperately.

He sighed, "I will tell you what I told the boy: there is no cure for a broken heart."

He was wrong, but the Princess wouldn't dare argue otherwise. She knew what medicine could dull this ache quickly. She walked away without a proper goodbye and headed for the Inn, hands shaking. No one spoke to her as she moseyed to the bar, waiting to see Telma approach with her usual maternal concern.

However, to her surprise, the curvy woman did not appear. Rather, a very exuberant Dinaria stood behind the counter with a grin on her red lips. She leaned on the table and tried to read Zelda's face. "You look like shit." She laughed.

The Princess narrowed her eyes and snapped, "I do not think you are the proper age to be selling spirits."

The Gerudo girl wasn't listening, raising a long finger up to pause their conversation so she could verbally abuse a patron who had yet to pay for his drinks. No wonder she looked so happy, she was allowed dominion over those around her. Dinaria returned and raised a sharp brow, "You and your _voe_ are fighting? Mother always said monogamy only causes problems."

"I do not wish to speak of it little one," Zelda scolded.

The teen shrugged her shoulders and began cleaning shot glasses. "Auntie Telma said she would be back in a few minutes, so until then, I'm in charge here. I suppose I have to ask you what I can get for you."

Zelda gestured with a frown, "Those four bottles will be fine."

The girl looked back at the row of glistening green flagons and queried, "That's a lot of drink for one person."

Cold washed over Zelda as her lips allowed a familiar lie to slip through like smoke. "It is for the Eldin Virgins," she convinced, conscience screaming beneath the pillow the voice in her head used to suffocate it.

Dinaria nodded, handing them to Zelda without another question. The Princess slowly ran to her room, locking the door behind her, the memory of Link's indifference punching her in the gut. She pushed the empty bottles deeper underneath her bed, mentally reminding herself to throw the evidence away when the time was right, and placed the new ones within reach – but not without uncorking and sipping the bloody wine. She hadn't eaten yet, and she prayed this would welcome the buzz into her system faster, crying until she no longer felt sad.

…

 _Knock knock!_

"Link?!" Zelda stood up from a spot on the floor she had been sleeping on, a head rush blinding her as her sobering body stumbled to the door. How long she had been asleep was a mystery she didn't care to answer. Happily she swung the door open, only to be disappointed.

Ilia and Ashei shifted in their spots awkwardly, knowing they were not who she wanted to see. Zelda tried to act pleased by their visit, but they knew it was fake. The blonde smiled nervously, eyes communicating that she felt Zelda had her reasons for keeping secrets, but deep down she didn't approve. The monarch closed her tired orbs, the last thing she wanted was more judgment, especially from those regarded as friends. Ashei was a lot less forgiving, the corners of her mouth downcasted as she couldn't seem to fathom why Zelda would have done what she did to Link, and in all honesty, the Princess had no answer to that burning question.

"How may I help you?" She pondered, blue orbs focused on the brooch upon Ilia's chest sadly.

"We're here to cheer you up," Ashei announced without vocal dynamic.

Ilia cleared her throat, "Life has been pretty eventful for you, and we thought it would be good for you to unwind."

Zelda glanced between them curiously, crossing her arms as a sign of her attention. Ilia beamed at the gesture and began her spiel with vigor. "A girls night! Just a three of us, no boys allowed as you relax for once."

Ashei added, "Telma is serving her drinks for half the price, so it's budget friendly too."

That really sparked her interests.

Ilia noted sadly, "When Elric died, all I wanted was to be alone with a bottle in hand. But I know that isn't the way to go about it – I'm sure you don't drink often, so how about a glass or two with Ashei and I? That way we can keep an eye on each other!"

Zelda stepped out and closed the door behind her so they wouldn't see the inside, nodding her head in agreement as the sour feeling began to return. "I would be honored," she hummed, smiling at the way Ilia's eyes jumped with excitement. Ashei smirked, and the three women headed down to the bar with a spring in their step. News of the special spread like wildfire, tables and chairs filled with bodies, singing and cheering on the occasional Zora bard that had the misfortune of being asked to play the same song seven times. Just as a Goron entered, Zelda caught a glimpse of the outside, pitch-black with the late night. The smell of lantern oil and alcohol was heavy, but bearable.

Ashei led them to a table in the center of the bar where four soldiers sat, chit-chatting and laughing without a care in the world. Zelda envied their carefree attitude, but she would be there soon. The Captain of the Guard approached her men, and with a menacing boot, she stomped forcefully on a vacant chair, telling them something in a low tone. Without question they scurried away, trying to pretend they weren't running with their tails between their legs.

Ilia frowned, feeling bad for taking their seats. "You didn't need to do that."

"They're supposed to be on duty," Ashei laughed at Ilia's misplaced sympathy.

They pulled out a chair for Zelda and the blonde went to grab them drinks. The Princess's foot shook anxiously, eyes focused on her twiddling thumbs as she waited for her medicine. Ilia set down three glasses of rumbullion and Zelda internally smiled at the sight of an old friend, its amber waters relaxing. She held it in her hands to warm it before sipping it slowly, fire replacing the sadness in her stomach. She scanned the room for any Council member and was relieved to find they were not there, taking another sip. The girls began to talk about nothing in particular as they waited for the effects to kick in, but it seemed to be hitting Zelda at a snail's pace.

She frowned, had she built up a tolerance for it? No, Ilia must have just been a lightweight, one glass being enough to send her into state of disorientation. She was slurring her words, and this made the other girls laugh uncontrollably. By her third glass, Ashei was beginning to feel tipsy, standing up to join in a game to see who could toss a knife at a target with the most accuracy. Without question Ashei was the winner, and the crowd cheered at her small blade lodged deep into the wood until Telma threatened her wrath. Zelda laughed with the festivities, mind fuzzy as she downed her fifth glass. The night was getting older; the drunker the patrons got, the more rowdy things became. Ilia was fast asleep at their table, but Zelda was singing poorly with a female Zora who didn't appreciate her attention being stolen. Her arms felt like air, the ground rocking like a boat on an angry ocean as she stumbled over to Ashei who called out to her joyfully.

"Oi!" she waved, leading Zelda to another table where six men sat. The Princess plopped down with a full laugh as the warrior bragged, "Don't let this little sparrow fool you, she can take her liquor."

The men cheered, their features blurry like clouds in heavy winds but voices smiling as they ordered her another glass. They were playing a game, one whose rules escaped her mind, but she was sure it was fun. Shots were a punishment, but why would something that made her feel so good be bad? Her conscience told her to stop, but she didn't want to, she was having too much fun. Sobering up meant she had to deal with...something, or maybe someone? All she knew was that she didn't want to, so she took a drink from the hands of a stranger and threw her head back as it burned down her throat.

Women dressed in white and pretty jewelry came in to speak with Telma; the only reason why Zelda noticed was because it postponed her request for more rumbullion. Ashei was slowly drifting away, but Zelda only wanted more.

Someone asked her, "Man, what are you running from, love?" or was that all in her head?

A strong grip tightened around her arm, and she looked up at the person to angrily berate, "How dare you touch me!"

The man yanked her up and her new friends stood aggressively. Ashei stared at the figure, who pulled Zelda away from the table as he scolded, "You're being reckless again." He turned to her caretakers with a frustrated furrow in his brow.

Princess Zelda struggled to get away from him as his beautiful face became clear, sky blue eyes incensed and sandy blond locks messy. Link took her outside, where she managed to get away from him, almost falling as she stumbled back until he was a good distance away from her. She swayed in place, mind not connecting to her body as she stood unbalanced and uncomfortable.

"You're drunk." He stated the gross fact with a steady voice.

It angered her, she saw the accusation behind the blue and hiccuped, "So?"

He looked away, laughing in spite as he shook his head. He didn't want to act this way, she could tell, but his tension was overflowing from within. He began to whisper, "Gods you always do this – instead of facing your problems, you'd rather drink your life away!"

Her face went red with a bubbling frustration as she balked, "That's not true–"

Link interjected with a shout, "Telma told me about the bottles!" She stepped back, covering her ears from her sins he explained with so much disappointment it made her sick. "You lied about getting them for the Virgins, so what happened to them Zelda!"  
She ripped her arms away from her head and spat, " Oh do not act like you care! So what if I have a glass or two, there's nothing wrong with that!"  
He laughed even though it wasn't funny. "One or two?! So if I search your room right now I'll only find one bottle, right? " She hesitated, and he caught it, approaching her worriedly, but she moved back. He paused, "I thought you hated your parents because they drank instead of helping people, but here you are, following in their footsteps. You're better than that!"

His face softened for an instant, he didn't mean to make that comparison, but it was too late. Rage flared with the rumbullion in her belly, causing her to pick up a nearby rock and fling it at him. He dodged it, but the frustration of being labeled as an alcoholic, even if indirectly, made her crazy. "DO NOT DARE COMPARE ME TO THEM!" She wiped away a drip of saliva that hung on her lip as she started crying, "If you experienced what I have been through you would drink until you die! Just like my mother!"

"You can't keep running from your mistakes!"

"As if you can judge!" She began to chuckle intensely, no longer inching away as he came closer. "We needed someone like you to play an active role as a Hero in Hyrule, but what did you do? Run back to Ordon after you finished your Quest, only to come maybe once or twice a year for a seminar? If someone was on my side I would not be engaged, a-and these conspiracies against me would be nonexistent! You probably would not have even helped as much as you have if your village wasn't involved!"

A flash of anger flickered in his eyes briefly, one that was so familiar it made the scar on her thigh burn in fear. Link countered, "If you spent as much time fighting back as you do sulking, you would have been Queen years ago, and none of this would have happened!"

"Fuck you!" The curse ripped out of her throat and bounced off the canyon walls. The night air became stagnant, Link's eyes wide at the words she hurled at him – she didn't mean to, she saw him as another ghost in this altered state. "Do you know how many people I have lost? How much blood is on my hands? Elric, Owen, so many people I tried to save but failed! I drink to keep their ghosts from haunting me, because I killed them!"

He furrowed his brow in building irritation, voice equally as booming as he kicked a post. "I lost people too! Elric was my responsibility and I let him and Ilia down! Everyday the people I love are at risk, and sometimes I can't save them! Midna could have stayed if I had –"

Zelda sharply interrupted with the knife he had unintentionally plunged into her chest. "Midna left you because she wanted to! You've never held a dying boy in your hands, a child who had his whole life to look forward to! No one expected anything of you until you put that tunic on, because you're just a rancher, but I was meant to save everyone from birth before I could even help myself! But I am sure you would prefer Midna stayed, and I were the one to disappear!"

He was closer now, face twisted in hurt but replaced with a harsh, "Is that what this is really about? You lied about being engaged to get back at me for having a life before you? At least Midna opened up and was honest to me about things that bothered her. You always say you're going to tell me what's wrong but never trust me enough to talk about it!"

He regretted his words the moment they left his mouth, but you can't unring a bell. Zelda, now on fire and suffering, only wanted to say things that would bring him as much pain as he did her. Her sober self begged her to stop, but her emotions wanted a justice that does not exist in love. She cried, "All I wanted was for you to love me like you loved her! But I shall never be good enough, will I? You say you want me to be honest, but trust goes both ways! I never know what you are thinking, and when I get an idea, I feel lost. Things hurt you and you never tell me!"

"Because I can't!"

"Why not?!"

He ran his hands through his hair and paced, his heart appearing on his sleeve as he looked her in the eyes and saw her again, if not with a struggle. "I pretend to sleep at night to not worry you, because everytime I close my eyes, I see people I care about die! I wake up to the thought of what that shadow did to you, because it scares the hell out of me that I could have lost you – because I feel guilty. I feel like I caused you to get hurt; I never feel strong enough to protect you, and the sound of you screaming in pain fills my dreams, but I can't talk about that! I can't talk about the pain or fear because I'm expected to stay brave so everyone else doesn't have to," He bit back angry tears as he stared beaten and defeated, "But now I know you're engaged, and that I was just some game to you."

"You are not!" She longed to hold him but stopped, yet he seemed just as let down to see her trepidation, "I am so sorry I never told you; I never expected this to happen! It was arranged, I had no say in the betrothal, and I fought for it to stop but my life was not mine! I agreed to go to Ordon to experience freedom for the last time, and you showed me how beautiful the simplest things were, like swimming in lakes or eating meals with friends. But I was sure Prince Harod would not come since Neighsdon has nothing to gain from a Princess ruling a crumbling kingdom... We were not supposed to fall in love, I was supposed to return to the Castle and live a miserable life, because that is my punishment for inaction during the Twilight Invasion. You were supposed to be married and happy with a beautiful wife who is not broken!" She grabbed her face and shook her head, making the world spin even worse as she laughed, "There, are you happy! I am broken! So if you are going to break my heart, at least let me have a drink to numb the pain!"

He wished he could take back his harsh words, and so did she, but when he was an embrace away from her, she ran.

"Zelda!" He hollered after her as she sprinted back into the Inn, bumping into people and things as she crawled up the stairs. He snatched her wrists for a moment before she thrashed away, jumping into her room and slamming the door shut in his face. She leaned against the wood door as he pounded on it, fear lacing his voice while he cried, "Zelda! Open the door!"

"Leave me!" she blubbered, clicking the lock.

"No! Let me in!" He pleaded with her, concern raising his cadence as Zelda did the same but with a wine bottle to her lips.

She wiped a stray drip away, heart still shattering as she yearned to be held by him but shame preventing her. "I said go!"

"Zelda please!" She heard him fall to his knees as he muttered, "I'm broken too."

"If you do not leave, I shall call Sutter to escort you out!" She choked on the tears that inconvenienced her. She thought him leaving would make her feel better, but when his shadow was gone from beneath the door, she only bawled harder – this was all her fault. Gripping the bottle in her hands, Zelda threw it against the wall. It exploded with a crash, shards of glass and drink scattered across the floor. That was when she saw it.

Her reflection in the broken flask was not her own, but of a woman she hardly remembered. She had seen countless paintings of her, hair blonde like the sun and eyes a deep ultramarine. Zelda looked so much like her mother, and it couldn't be unseen, it frightened her.

 _You can always replace him, my darling,_ The Queen promised, _The contents of a bottle will not accuse you._

She turned to unlock the door, she was going to be sick. Just as she prepared to run out of the Inn, she released all the anxiety and pain in her stomach in an acidic blend of dinner and spirits on top of leather boots. She vomited again on Link who had not abandoned her as she expected, but had run to grab her water and a bucket (which was now completely useless). She mumbled an apology before lurching forward again, but this time had Link to pull her hair back and help. He took off his shoes and led her into bed, walking over glass shards and undressing her down to her chemise, forcing her to drink water she adamantly refused.

His warm hands on her body felt like the touch of an angel, and she leaned into him as he held her face and tried bringing the water to her lips. She missed him, it felt like she hadn't seen him in ages. She prayed he would forgive her eventually for lying to him, because she was truly sorry and deserved his anger. He buried his face in her neck, still as he closed his eyes against her and breathed shaky breaths. She tried to hug him, but limbs wouldn't listen well. He pulled away, still conflicted with how to respond. He was still hurt, and she understood why, but that would not stop him from taking care of her.

"I am so sorry," she mumbled against the water she was beginning to drink.

 _I do not know why you are apologizing,_ the voice in her head scolded, _He should be apologizing to you._

But that wasn't true.

"Relax," he wiped away the water she was spilling on her face.

He was still upset with her, and she didn't blame him, but that wouldn't stop him from caring. He had her lay down on her side, using pillows to keep her propped up as he stroked her hair. Love was about owning up to your mistakes; she shouldn't have lied to him, nor cursed and said things she didn't mean. He pulled up a chair and watched over her as he promised, but did not fake his sleep this time. Love was a messy and confusing thing for Zelda that she struggled to understand, but she was sure Link was the epitome of it. Her eyes drifted to sleep.

"I still love you."

…

Slumber was not easy for the Princess, but it was better than the sickness she felt while awake. Plagued with twisted images of her precious girls ensnared in darkness and memories of death stirred her awake; a splitting headache greeted the morning eagerly. She rubbed her eyelids, rolling out of bed with a thud, groaning loudly. Her hands began to shake, and reaching into her secret stash, she stole a gulp. _Hair of the dog, darling?_ A voice hummed in her head, pleased with seeing her give in to her vices.

She was already feeling better, sitting up and peering at the empty chair near her, and the clean floors. The Princess groaned, what stupid thing had she done now? Her memory was damaged like burnt film, brown and spotted, but he left his water bottle on her desk and that was enough to help her recall something. She was an idiot.

"You should apologize to him," Impaz entered the room without knocking, brows furrowed in disappointment as she handed Zelda her meal of eggs and fruit. The Sheikah woman helped her up roughly, remaining firm and clear about her feelings.

"I know, I just...I never intended for him to get hurt–"

"Then you should have been honest," Impaz interjected, "I was under the impression you had told him in Ordon. Had I known you kept your potential marriage a secret, I would not have advised you to pursue this romance." Her scarlet eyes softened, and with her wrinkled hands, she patted the monarch's leg sadly, "You're usually so wise."

Zelda clenched her jaw, dejected by the words of her nursemaid. Nothing she would say could lessen the damage, so she remained silent, accepting that she deserved her frustration. Impaz knew the Princess would say no more, acknowledging the errors of her ways, so she sighed, "Would you like Sutter or myself to escort you to the morning meeting?"

Zelda's eyes widened in shock, "There is a meeting?"

She nodded, "And you are already ten minutes late."

Without another word they rushed out – Zelda caught a glimpse of Telma who watched her with a hurt expression – and hurried into the Sanctuary. It was not as if they noticed her absence, Earl Kemp was already shouting passionately across the table, acquiring most people's attention and frustration. Ashei was shouting back, Shad scribbling frantically with one hand as each person spoke. Alger was still gone, probably avoiding her in his nest by her father's things. A part of her worried for him.

She went to take her seat, pausing to stare at Link who sat, without a thought, next to Rusl who was speaking to him. Zelda waited hopefully for some reaction, any way she could judge how their foggy moment the night before had ended. His mentor noticed her first, pulling him up so they could bow respectfully at her.

"Princess Zelda," Rusl greeted, but Link stayed quiet, as if unsure what to say.

She wanted to speak to him, but a surprisingly loud Mayor Bo stole her voice. "Ashei please," he begged, "Your men are all we need to be able to return home! If we find the oracle hiding in the woods, we have more access to resources!"

"I understand you want your home back, but we are just beginning to recover from the last battle." The black-haired woman touched her husband's shoulder gingerly.

Ilia chimed in, "Father, she's right, we can't spread ourselves too thin. The Domain still needs help getting back on its feet."

Earl Kemp scoffed at what he believed to be weakness, "If we wait too long they only get stronger."

King Ralis's gills turned a soft violet as he disagreed spiritedly. "My people are to remain here because we run the risk of attack if we were to return to the Lake. These situations take time, and the last thing we wish is that people get hurt."

The Shaman nodded, "Princess Zelda, do you wish to add anything?"

Soon all eyes were uncomfortably latched onto her, but she ignored them. "If we are to move forces, it would be near the village, and it would be for construction of another refugee camp. We are becoming crowded now, are we not?"

The large moustached Mayor eagerly offered, "Which is exactly why we should try to emancipate Ordon!"

Zelda shook her head. "That is too far for us to govern, Mayor. Please, be patient."

The small Impaz added without being asked to, "When the time comes, there will be a place for our people to stay, Your Highness. My village is well hidden, good for the elderly and children while the youth defend Kakariko. Just say the word and we may begin preparations."

That was perfect, she had not even considered that. Princess Zelda praised the idea, already mentally preparing when the ideal time was to schedule the migration. "Right now–" she firmly announced, "–We should focus on figuring out how the Goddesses play out in this. We have all Spiritual Stones–"

"All of them?" Gor Coron gasped in disbelief, arms uncrossing.

"The Goron ruby was, for some mysterious reason, in the possession of the Gerudo Chieftain. This means fate has gifted each girl a key into the Sacred Realm; however, they are still mortal girls, and as you know one especially is plagued. "

"The question is how we rid her of this sickness; maybe a ritual?" Counselor Fane mused softly.

Shaman Renado agreed, "Probably, but even the Virgins do not know what to do. Your Highness, would you have an idea?"

She shook her head no, "I have yet to discover how she can be purified of–"

The doors slammed open and Fuana ran in a frenzy into the dimly lit Sanctuary, visibly shaken. "P-P-Princess Zelda, i-i-it's Naru!"

Without thinking, Zelda spun out of her seat and toward the floral child, the panic in her voice striking fear into her heart. Link jumped up as well – they paused, staring into one another's eyes, and followed the young girl. She ran without hesitation into the Inn, the adults trying to keep up as she zoomed into the children's room. The quiet lobby boomed with the pounding of their feet like heart beats until they reached the door, bursting through.

Dinaria and Fuana stood at the bedside, the teen appearing more annoyed than worried like her green counterpart. She rolled her ruby eyes at the sight of the adults, beginning to drawl, "She started her–"

Naru cried out from her bed, blankets brought up to her chin as she hyperventilated in panic, knees up to her chest and pushing against the fabric. Tears streaked her face as she howled in agony, turning to Zelda hopefully. "Princess," she cried, "I'm scared!"

Zelda swiftly ran to her side, reading her panicked expression as Link stayed close behind her. "I am here little one, what is wrong? Are you hurt?"

The girl threw her blanket away, revealing once pristine bedsheets covered with a pool of blood. "I woke up and there was blood in my bed! A-And my tummy hurts – am I dying?!"

Zelda's scarlet face froze, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. Link quickly left the room, and Dinaria laughed furiously. Fuana clasped her hands and told the Princess, "I tried explaining that menstruation is–"

"Stop using words I don't understand!" Naru snapped, grabbing her stomach in pain. Fuana blushed at the outburst, and Dinaria only cackled louder. Zelda smiled, trying to stifle a chuckle at the girl's reaction. Figures that living with Link for so long would lead to her knowing nothing of her body.

Zelda grabbed her hands and assured her, "It is completely normal, little one. You are not dying."

Naru wiped away her tears with loud sniffles. "I-It is?"

Zelda nodded, "Eventually, every female begins her journey into womanhood. The Golden Goddesses shed their blood to birth the world and become mothers of light; mortals shed blood to follow in the footsteps of their creators, and be able to bear life. It is quite a beautiful gift."

"Everyone girl does it?" She turned to Fuana and Dinaria who expressed contrasting emotions.

Fuana nodded, handing her clean cloths altruistically. "Every new moon."

Dinaria smirked out of sympathy, and refrained from embarrassing the child. "You'll get used to it."

The Princess laughed to herself. "Consider yourself lucky, little one. When my grandmother was your age, they were still holding pilgrimages for young girls to complete once they became in tune with the sacred cycle. She was forced to travel to each Spring, just as Zelda the First did, in order to purify herself and–" It was as if she was hit with a ton of bricks, the realization clicked perfectly like a sword in its scabbard until she was unable to contain it. She ran out into the lobby, grabbing Link by the arms as she shook him with the energy of a bright idea. "The pilgrimage! That is the next step!"

Link's brows furrowed in confusion, her exuberance scaring him.

She released his limbs and hurried for the Sanctuary. Council Nohansen jumped as she slammed her hands on the map of Hyrule and explained, "What if the only way we can unlock their true ability is through the pilgrimage of Hylia? All Princesses before me were required to do it as a tradition, my grandmother even partook in it to awaken her magic, but for some reason, we stopped. I never even got to experience it; it may just work!"

Her audience became infected with her excitement, Shad reaching over to mark the location of each Spring on the map. The moment he circled the Faron Spring, Mayor Bo beamed, Earl Kemp undoubtly taking it as an opportunity to carry out his wishes. Ilia caught wind of this and voiced her concern, "I'm not sure Your Highness. I think we still have too much to worry about to be able to sanction a pilgrimage."

"I think it's better than nothing," Auru noted, "We can start here and then wait for the right opportunity. The ritual has no order, nor strict time frame."

Shaman Renado bit his lip but agreed, "It's better than nothing."

Zelda couldn't help but warm with the hope in her belly – maybe it would banish the twisted Queen from her mind once and for all.

"Princess Zelda!" Someone called from outside. The Council hummed in curiosity, Shaman Renado gliding over to a closed window he peeked out of.

"It's Alger." He gasped.

The monarch's good mood was gone, and gingerly she opened the door. The disheveled courtier stood like a proud peacock, even though his visage was that of a seasonal turkey. A group of people were behind him, avoiding her stare as he puffed out his feathers, eyes hard but knees unsure. She rose her chin up, looking down at him.

"I request an audience with the Princess." He straightened his back and cleared his throat.

She paused, wondering what he wished to gain. "As you wish."

He took a deep breath and began, "I cannot stand to fall victim to your mistakes, Princess Zelda. I have worked for the royal family for a long time, seen a great many errors made, but this action against the Companion's Convention is something I cannot stand behind. I was close to your father...May he rest peacefully with the Gods, but my loyalty does not lie with you. My associates behind me agree that it is better if we part ways from a crown we do not support."

The Princess bit her cheek, not saying a word as the now ex-courtier continued, "We will be leaving Kakariko, and if we happen to run into Prince Harod, we will be joining him. We will tell him where the village is, and I only warn you out of respect for King Daphnes."

She wanted to yell at him, call him a traitor and a slew of other foul words. Link watched her in her peripheral, his eyes burning at the betrayal shown by these once citizens of Hyrule. Alger and his people, a band of both upper and lower classes, marched toward the exit until they were nothing more than a bad memory. A memory that needed to be forgotten, and her body vibrated with yearning and anger. She couldn't please everyone, she had to accept that as a true leader, but still.

 _Give in to the hatred_ , she could feel both shadows pushing her to be consumed by the burning in her heart, to allow Dark's version of her shine.

Link approached her, maybe to say something nice, but it wasn't strong enough. She knew he was frowning as she headed for her room where she would happily take a swig of spirits to forget.

* * *

 **The drama.**

 **Special thanks to: Spectre17214, Rokudosatoshi, JustGecko, SoundMusician06, aRXy, Ultimate blazer, Generala, and kansa**

 **Thank you for the condolences, it was greatly appreciated. Ultimate blazer, I don't just like to make Zelda suffer, I love to make her suffer (I'm kidding, I love Zelda). Thanks doll, I am glad that my child characters are enjoyable! Generala, 1) thank you so much for your kind words, and 2) you are very right, Zelda is going through something, but it is far from over. kansa, the mess has only gotten messier hasn't it!**

 **So a lot of personal drama has just unfolded between our lovers, vices have been solidified, and the plot thickens. My question to you is simple: What are some character flaws that have come to light? No one is perfect, and we see that in full force in this chapter.**

 **My lovely editor - thank God your Midterm is done! : SunnyAirisu222**

 **Don't forget to R &R, eat your veggies, and smile!**

 **See ya next (this) month!**


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